US prepares to impose financial sanctions against pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine. Planned restrictions should “hit” at least four people. It is reported by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) with reference to US administration officials..

According to the interlocutors of the publication, these measures are being developed as part of Washington's tactics of using diplomacy and pressure to prevent a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.. Sanctions could be announced as early as next Thursday.

According to officials, the new sanctions will be introduced in accordance with an executive order signed by US President Joe Biden in April last year, which is aimed at punishing those involved in Russia's external aggression.. The measures, in particular, involve freezing the assets of persons included in the sanctions lists.

U.S.

officials indicated that the planned measures are directed against citizens of Ukraine, and not against the Russian authorities, which "

Sanctions will follow on the background of the visit of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Ukraine and Germany.

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Earlier, White House press secretary Jen Psaki at a briefing confirmed the information that the option of disconnecting Russia from the international SWIFT system is still relevant, thereby refuting the information of the German publication Handelsblatt, which claimed that the US and the EU decided not to disconnect Russia from SWIFT,.