Russia’s Putin defiant in face of US sanctions on top oil companies

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin remained defiant on Thursday after the United States president imposed sanctions on two of the country’s top oil firms.

Donald Trump is hoping the move will squeeze Moscow’s finances and pressure it to end its over three-year-long invasion of Ukraine.

Rosneft and Lukoil together account for almost half of Russia’s total crude oil exports and the sanctions announcement on Wednesday pushed global…