Russian President Vladimir Putin named former former deputy defense minister Anatoly Antonov to be the country's new ambassador to the United States, ABC News reported Monday. Antonov was previously sanctioned by the European Union for his role in Russia’s 2014 Crimean annexation and has a reputation as a hardline negotiator. His appointment comes at a time when relations between the U.S. and Russia are at a recent low with Moscow expelling many U.S. diplomats and their staff late last month, and Washington temporarily suspending non-immigration visas to Russians on Monday.
