US imposes sanctions on Russian companies, people linked to Crimea

The US government says it has extended the economic sanctions on Russia to include eight more entities and seven individuals linked to the annexation of Crimea.

The Treasury Department said on Tuesday that this is part of the government's goal "to maintain pressure on Russia by sustaining the costs of its occupation" of the Ukrainian peninsula.

The statement said six of the people were designated for helping to provide support to Bank Rossiya, which was sanctioned in 2014 for providing material support to a senior Russian official.

The seventh is accused of having links to a company building a military base near the Russia-Ukraine border.

The companies that are sanctioned include Institut Stroiproekt, a Russian highway construction company, Russian government-sponsored Crimean Railway and the Crimean Ports company.