Russian President Vladimir Putin is no dummy. Deranged, sure, and maybe a little bit cuckoo at this point, but dumb? Not a chance.
That’s why, when he complains about the sanctions that he’s facing on account of his invasion of Ukraine, it can be hard to take him seriously. He was well aware of what would happen if he went through with the incursion, but chose to continue any way, making his complaints all the more ridiculous.
Now, in retaliation for the retaliation, the Russian dictator is taking aim at a number of notable Americans.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday it is imposing sanctions on more than a dozen Americans, including President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, as retaliation for sweeping economic penalties from the Biden administration targeting Russian entities over the invasion of Ukraine.
The list of those sanctioned by Russia include 12 current and former government officials, as well as Hunter Biden, Mr. Biden’s son. In addition, the Americans slapped with the penalties are:
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan
CIA Director Bill Burns
White House press secretary Jen Psaki
Deputy national security adviser Daleep Singh
USAID Director Samantha Power
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo
Export-Import Bank Chairman Reta Jo Lewis
Russia is believed to be on the precipice of economic disaster at this time, as the international sanctions against Moscow continue to cripple their economy.
