Russia appoints sanctioned person as US ambassador

Russia has appointed Anatoly Antonov, who is subject to EU and Canadian sanctions for his role in supporting Russia’s annexation of Crimea, as its ambassador to the US. Antonov was Russia’s Deputy Defence Minister when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, and became the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister in December last year. When he assumes office on 1 September, he will replace Sergei Kislyak – a key figure in claims that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential election.