© Carolyn Kaster/AP
The US and the European Union retaliated over the Crimea referendum by targeting sanctions against Russian and Ukrainian officials on Monday, a move widely greeted with scepticism as "toothless".
The White House imposed sanctions against 11 named individuals: seven senior Russian politicians and officials and four Crimea-based separatist leaders accused of undermining the "democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine".
But the US pointedly avoided targeting the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, or key figures in his inner circle.
The EU imposed sanctions on 21 individuals, including three senior Russian commanders, the prime minister of Crimea, a deputy speaker of the Duma and other senior officials.
There are divisions within Europe over how to respond to Russia, and this is reflected in the fact that action is being taken against less than two dozen from an original proposed list of 120.
The sanctions came on the eve of an address to the Russian parliament by President Vladimir Putin on the next moves for Crimea.On Monday night, Putin posted a decree on the Kremlin website, recognising Crimea as a sovereign state - in what appeared to be a first step toward integrating Crimea as a part of the Russian Federation. The decree, which took effect immediately, says Moscow's recognition of Crimea as independent is based on "the will of the people of Crimea".
Comment: On the last link to the US Army website we learn that So Rapid Trident 2014 will be the 12th year NATO forces have been 'conducting military exercises' in Western Ukraine, the very region where far-right extremists, well-armed and well-trained, took over Ukraine's capital city in a bloody coup earlier this year.
Coincidence?