EXPLAINER: Just how hard could US sanctions hit Russia?

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and FATIMA HUSSEIN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — With Russia’s military attacking across Ukraine, President Joe Biden is expected to roll out at least some of the toughest sanctions and financial penalties that the U.S. can muster in response. Biden for weeks has promised “swift and severe costs” if Russian forces moved into Ukraine. Administration officials have described measures that would send Russia’s ruble crashing, isolate Russia from the world financial system and possibly drive the country into recession. U.S. officials are not certain about whether to cut Russia off from the international financial system and from dollar transactions, partly out of concern about the spillover economic effects at home and in Europe.