Vladimir Putin's approval rating has soared to new five-year highs as the State Duma ratifies the agreement on Crimea's admission to Russia. However, it is the clear distain that the Russian Foreign Affairs Committee Deputy Chairman Alexander Romanovich had for the West's response so far. "The US and EU sanctions against Russia are absurd and unreal," the lawmaker scoffed, adding "this is an operetta, and we can only laugh." So much for non-mutually-assured-destruction-based sanctions. The Duma are considering how retaliatory sanctions could be imposed.

The State Duma considers sanctions imposed by the US and the EU in response to Crimea’s accession to Russia absurd and unreal.

“The US and EU sanctions against Russia are absurd and unreal,” State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee Deputy Chairman Alexander Romanovich told Itar-Tass. The lawmaker is head of the Russian delegation at the 130th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) currently underway in Geneva. “This is an operetta, and we can only laugh: for example, sanctions have been imposed against (head of the A Just Russia party faction in the State Duma Sergei) Mironov. Then it turned out that he had not been banned the entry. It was reported his property abroad had been arrested,” Romanovich said. “Maybe, the list will be expanded. As for response measures, we should look at how sanctions should be imposed,” the lawmaker said.

Via ITAR-TASS,

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rating has hit a five-year record high, according to a survey conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (WCIOM) on March 15-16. The survey, published on Thursday, showed that 75.7% of 1,600 respondents in 130 Russian towns and cities approved of their leader’s policy.

STATE DUMA RATIFIES AGREEMENT ON CRIMEA'S ADMISSION TO RUSSIA

Lower house of parliament ratifies treaty signed March 18 by President Vladimir Putin on Crimea, Sevastopol joining Russia as new regions. Duma also passes changes to constitution required for accession 445 Vote:- 1 Voted Against, 4 didn't vote



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