Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Russia preparing ‘crushing response’ to US sanctions ‘bill from hell’ Moscow is ready for the bill introduced by US senators on measures against the Kremlin elite and on banning transactions related to Russia’s new sovereign debt, Chairman of the Russian State Duma’s (lower house) Financial Markets Committee Anatoly Aksakov told Nezavisimaya Gazeta. The lawmaker noted the US sanctions’ impact on Russia’s financial system would be insignificant. "It is more symbolic and moral rather than important in material terms," he said. A source close to the Kremlin has not ruled out that Russia could retaliate with its "crushing" military and strategic measures and review some its international commitments.

"If the unproven meddling in US election gives them the right to cause economic damage and deal a blow to the nation’s welfare, it’s not surprising that Russia could draw up measures, including military and strategic ones, which can result in irreparable losses for the Americans’ economy and profits," the source told the paper. "I won’t be surprised if soon Russia reviewed some its international commitments given the changes in the international situation. One should always remember that particular commitments were made in a certain international and legal context. The United States is showing this to the entire world today by renouncing its international commitments every day, including in the sphere of control over non-proliferation of nuclear weapons (deal with Iran) and also in tariff and non-tariff protectionism in trade." The Defending American Security from Kremlin Aggression Act of 2018 (DASKAA), aimed at increasing economic, political and diplomatic pressure on Russia in response to Moscow’s alleged continuing interference in US elections was introduced last week by a bipartisan group of US senators. The US "bill from hell" suggests sanctions against Russian political figures, oligarchs, family members and other individuals as well as restrictions against transactions related to investment in energy projects supported by Russian state-owned or parastatal entities. Another important measure of the initiative is the demand to ban transactions pertaining to the Russian sovereign debt, which has been discussed this year many times, the paper says. The new package of measures was inspired by the Helsinki summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. Moscow considers that Washington’s sanctions initiatives have been triggered by the domestic political struggle in the US. Kommersant: North Korea, Russia accused of violating UN resolution US media reports leaked a draft report of the United Nations’ Security Council on North Korea, which accused Pyongyang of violating the organization’s resolutions, Kommersant writes. The document says that Pyongyang has not stopped developing nuclear and missile weapons despite the June 12 agreements reached at the meeting with US President Donald Trump. North Korea is also blamed for going beyond the limit on buying oil products (500,000 barrels per year) envisaged by the UN Security Council’s resolutions. It also says that fuel is purchased through a ship-to-ship transfer in the open seas, which is a rude violation of the sanctions. Besides, Pyongyang is suspected of continuing its military cooperation with Syria and arming Houthi rebels in Yemen. A diplomatic source told Kommersant the document was leaked to the media after Washington refused to take into account the stance of Moscow and Beijing, which disagree with certain resolution provisions. A consensus of all members of the UN 1718 sanctions committee is needed to endorse the document. According to the source, the leaks of draft documents to the US media when Russia and China voice their disagreement have become common practice. "This is the violation of the rules of behavior in the UN Security Council," he said. "It looks like blackmail and does not encourage a constructive solution to the problem." The committee members need to settle their differences by September 3, otherwise the document is unlikely to be approved. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also accused Moscow of violating the UN Security Council’s resolution on North Korea. According to him, Russia continues issuing work permissions for migrants from North Korea. The Russian Foreign Ministry has rejected these allegations, insisting that the resolution bans signing new contracts rather than issuing permissions. Russian government sources told the paper that until 2017 some 38,000 North Korean migrants could be officially employed in Russia. After the restrictions were introduced under the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2375, this quota was cut to 24,000 by the end of 2017. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Washington rejects Moscow’s offer to join Syria post-war rebuilding effort The United States has once again rebuffed Moscow’s proposal to participate in Syria’s post-war reconstruction and repatriating refugees, Nezavisimaya Gazeta writes. The offer was sent in a July 19 letter by Russia’s Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov to Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford, Reuters reported, citing a US government memo.