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US targets Russia with numerous sanctions over Ukraine war, Navalny death

The United States on Friday imposed extensive sanctions versus Russia, targeting more than 500 people and entities to mark the second anniversary of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and retaliate for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

President Joe Biden stated the procedures aim to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin pays an even steeper rate for his aggressiveness abroad and repression in the house.

The sanctions targeted Russia's Mir payment system, banks and its military industrial base, sanctions evasion, future energy production and other locations. They likewise hit prison officials the U.S. states are linked to Navalny's death.

Doesn't Washington recognize that sanctions won't take us down? Russia's ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, was priced estimate as stating on his embassy's channel on the Telegram messaging app.

The United States in the future Friday also enforced sanctions on Russia's leading tanker group, Sovcomflot, implicating it of being associated with breaching the G7's price cap on Russian oil. targeted were 14 crude oil tankers in which it has an interest.

Sovcomflot as a whole, as a moms and dad business, has been implicated in rate cap violations in addition to misleading activity, a senior Treasury authorities said.

The Biden administration is looking for to continue supporting Ukraine as the country deals with acute scarcities of ammunition, with the approval of more U.S. military help delayed for months in the U.S. Congress. The European Union, Britain and Canada also took action versus Russia on Friday.

The U.S. Treasury Department targeted almost 300 people and entities, while the State Department hit over 250 people and entities and the Commerce Department included over 90 companies to the Entity List.

The United States and its allies have enforced sanctions on thousands of Russian targets since Russia got into neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The war has actually seen tens of thousands killed and cities destroyed.

Nevertheless, Russia's export-focused $2.2-trillion economy has showed more durable to 2 years of unmatched sanctions than either Moscow or the West prepared for.

We need to sustain our support for Ukraine even as we weaken Russia's war machine. It's critical that Congress actions approximately join our allies all over the world in offering Ukraine the means to safeguard itself, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a declaration.

Brian O'Toole, a previous Treasury authorities, said the action, while involving a lot of names, was short on effect, because the majority of the entities targeted are Russian rather than foreign companies, and are quickly changeable as Moscow looks for to skirt sanctions.

Previous senior Treasury authorities Ben Harris said the magnitude of the sanctions imposed by the United States alone was powerful.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday's relocation was Washington's largest number of classifications in a single Russia action.

PAYMENT SYSTEM

Among the actions taken, the U.S. Treasury enforced sanctions on state-owned National Payment Card System, the operator of the Mir payment system. Mir payment cards have ended up being more important given that U.S. competitors suspended operations in Russia.

It likewise targeted over a lots Russian banks, investment companies, equity capital funds, and fintech business.

The United States also targeted Russia's future energy production and exports, taking further aim at the Arctic LNG 2 job in Siberia. In November, Washington imposed sanctions on a major entity associated with the huge job.

On Friday, the State Department targeted Russia's Zvezda shipbuilding company, which it stated is involved in the construction of as much as 15 extremely specialized LNG tankers planned for use in support of Arctic LNG 2 exports.

The United States also imposed sanctions on entities based in China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein over the evasion of Western sanctions on Russia and backfilling.

The representative for China's embassy in Washington, Liu Pengyu, called the sanctions versus the Chinese companies a. common relocation of economic browbeating, unilateralism and bullying. by the United States.

Washington has actually significantly sought to punish Russia's. circumvention of its procedures.

Peter Harrell, a previous National Security Council official,. stated the moves sent out a clear message that the U.S. is prepared to. act versus circumvention.

I see this as sort of an incremental however important step that. is within the method they have actually been deploying over the last 2. years, he said.

The Biden administration likewise imposed new trade limitations. on 93 entities from Russia, China, Turkey, the United Arab. Emirates and in other places for supporting Russia's war effort in. Ukraine.

The State Department likewise targeted 3 Russian Federal. Penitentiary Service authorities it implicated of being linked to. Navalny's death, including its deputy director who it said. reportedly advised prison staff to apply harsher treatment on. Navalny.

Navalny, 47, fell unconscious and died suddenly last week at. the penal nest above the Arctic Circle, the jail service. said. Biden has directly blamed Putin for Navalny's death.

The U.S. action also targeted individuals associated with what the. State Department called the forcible transfer or deportation of. Ukrainian children.