U.S. Petition to Brand Russia a 'Sponsor of Terrorism' Reaches Target

May 21, 2014

A petition on the White House website to designate Russia as a "state sponsor of terrorism" has garnered the more than 100,000 signatures.

A petition on the White House website to designate Russia as a "state sponsor of terrorism" for its purported actions in Ukraine has garnered the more than 100,000 signatures required for the U.S. administration to respond.

The appeal, which accuses "armed operatives of Russia, acting under disguise" of applying "intimidation or coercion" in Ukraine, topped 102,000 signatures on the "We the People" segment of the website by Wednesday morning, two days ahead of the deadline.

Moscow has denied allegations that its troops are engaged in the conflict in Ukraine.

Alex Konanykhin, a Russian-born U.S. businessman, said in a separate statement earlier this month that he had posted the petition out of "embarrassment" for the policies of his native land's government and hoped to prompt tougher U.S. action, PR Newswire reported.

Though U.S. President Barack Obama's administration is obliged to do nothing more than respond to the petition, supporters of tougher sanctions against Russia could cite its popularity to call for additional measures.

Rival Petitions Want Russia, U.S. Branded 'Sponsors of Terrorism'

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