US imposes additional sanctions against 20 Russian officials

President Obama announced on Thursday that he is levying additional sanctions against 20 high-level Russian officials and associates of Russia President Vladimir Putin as well as a bank in response to Moscow's move to join the Crimea region of Ukraine to Russia, reports ITAR-TASS.

Obama spoke just hours after Russia's lower parliament ratified a treaty to make Crimea a part of the Russian Federation. 

The White House has repeatedly called the referendum and Russia's action "illegal."