US Sanctions Over 100 Targets Aiding Russia’s Invasion

The United States has announced sanctions against more than 120 people and entities in over 20 countries, as it tightens its crackdown on Russia over its ongoing military involvement in Ukraine. The move, which was taken by the US Treasury and State Departments, includes a China-based technology firm and a private military company, both linked to entities supporting Russia’s undeclared war in Ukraine. Other targets include financiers and evaders of the sanctions worldwide, in locations such as Turkey, China, and United Arab Emirates, among others. Washington pledged to continue action against Russia and third-party actors supporting its ongoing war, as part of the G7’s commitment to imposing severe restrictions. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a statement regarding the imposition of the sanctions.

The US and its allies initially imposed sanctions against Russia, following the invasion of Ukraine over a year ago, and have been increasing pressure on the country ever since. The US has also been focusing on cracking down on sanctions evasion, especially in light of increased tensions between the two nations. The Patriot Private Military Company, the entity associated with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, was among those targeted, alongside China HEAD Aerospace Technology, which supplied Ukrainian satellite imagery to Wagner Group and its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin. Entities linked to Russia’s military-industrial complex and state-owned nuclear energy company Rosatom, which have used energy exports as a political and economic tool, were also targeted. However, the US has not imposed sanctions on Rosatom itself, and the inclusion of Megafon, one of Russia’s main telecoms operators, marks a shift in Western targeting under sanctions as it previously did not target Russia’s telecom infrastructure.

Uzbekistan-based cement producer Akhangarancement, Russia’s largest iron ore producer Metalloinvest and Swiss and UAE-based subsidiaries, and operator of Russia-based Udokan were among the other Usmanov’s company USM holdings targeted.

A spokesperson of USM Holdings commented earlier today stating that the firms consider the measures against the company and its shareholders “unjust and unfounded,” adding that Usmanov has not been engaged in business activity for some time. Sequoia Treuhand Trust Reg, a Liechtenstein-based trust services firm linked to Russian elites including Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko and the Budapest based International Investment Bank (IIB), which has majority-Russian ownership, were also targeted by the US Treasury.