A new wave of sanctions, targeting Russian and foreign companies or individuals, was announced by the US State Department on Wednesday.
A way to “further disrupt and weaken the Russian war effort,” said US Treasury Secretary Janet Yallen in a statement.
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More than two years of war in Ukraine
The US State Department announced on Wednesday a new wave of sanctions targeting Russian or foreign companies or individuals considered to be participating in the Russian war effort in the invasion of Ukraine.
In addition to Russian defense companies, the sanctions target around sixty foreign people and companies, particularly Chinese, accused of“help Russia acquire key components for weapons manufacturing or defense programs”according to a press release.
More than 200 companies targeted
Around a hundred Russian companies, among the more than 200 also targeted, operate specifically in the defense, transport or technology sectors. Several companies are involved in Russian chemical and biological weapons programs.
Finally, the sanctions aim to restrict the possibility of development of Russian gas and oil infrastructures, while Russia seeks to develop those which would allow it to more easily export its hydrocarbons to China in particular. These exports are currently carried out by tankers or LNG tankers, due to a lack of sufficient oil and gas pipelines to the east.
These sanctions, which also involve the American Department of State, provide in particular for freezing the assets of targeted companies or individuals present in the United States, as well as prohibiting American entities or citizens from doing business with the targets of the sanctions. . The people concerned are also prohibited from entering American territory.
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The G7 countries as well as the European Union and several friendly countries, such as Australia and South Korea, have increased sanctions against Russia since the outbreak of the invasion of Ukraine, in February 2022.
These sanctions aim to reduce the financing capacity of the Russian war effort, but also its capacity to procure critical components and materials for its equipment. They also led to the freezing of numerous assets of key Russian leaders, business leaders close to power as well as the Russian administration, notably the Central Bank.
The latest sanctions have particularly targeted the mining sector, notably Russian aluminum, copper and nickel, the import of which into the United States and the United Kingdom is now banned.
