"On the anniversary of the war in Ukraine and in connection with the death of Navalny": The US and EU introduced new sanctions against the Russian Federation

US President Joe Biden on February 23 announced a new sanctions package against the Russian Federation – for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and for the murder of Alexei Navalny, according to a statement released by the White House.

US sanctions

The new package includes more than five hundred new sanctions measures against Russia, for its invasion of Ukraine and for the murder of opposition politician Alexei Navalny in the colony. They will target individuals linked to Navalny’s imprisonment, the Russian financial sector, the defense industrial base, procurement networks and people helping circumvent sanctions around the world. Biden noted in statement:

“They (sanctions) will ensure that Putin will pay an even higher price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.”

The White House also imposed export restrictions on about a hundred companies accused of supporting the “Russian war machine.” quotes American President DW:

“We are taking action to further reduce Russia’s energy revenues. And I have directed my team to increase support for civil society, independent media and those fighting for democracy around the world.”

OFAC’s Office of Foreign Assets Control released full list companies and people subject to US restrictions. Among them are the National Payment Card System (NSCP) of the state operator of the Russian national payment system “Mir”, banks “SPB Bank”, “Avangard”, “Marine Joint Stock Bank”, “International Financial Club” and other financial organizations.

It is worth recalling that NSPK was created in the Russian Federation in 2014 after sanctions due to the annexation of Crimea – in case of disconnection of cards of international payment systems, 100% of the company belongs to the Bank of Russia.

The US restrictions included the PIK development group, the diamond exporter Almazuvelirexport, the Mechel mining company, and TransContainer, the largest railway container operator in Russia.

Personal sanctions were imposed against the deputy director of the FSIN Valery Boyarinev, the head of the FSIN department for the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Igor Rakitin and the head of the Polar Wolf colony IK-3, where Navalny was killed, Vadim Kalinin. The list also included Secretary of State of the Union State of Russia and Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Boris Gryzlov, owner of the PIK group Sergei Gordeev, member of Wagner PIK Andrey Troshev, Member of the Parliament of Moldova Marina Tauber and others.

The US Treasury continues to pursue individuals outside the Russian Federation involved in the transfer of technology and equipment to the Russian military-industrial base. These are, in particular, exporters from third countries and transporters of technology, equipment and spare parts to Russia, a forwarder involved in the supply of weapons to Russia, as well as a transnational money laundering network facilitating the illegal movement of products of Russian origin. The restrictions included 26 legal entities and individuals from third countries in 11 countries, including China, Serbia, the United Arab Emirates and Liechtenstein.

Sanctions EU

The British magazine The Economist published the nuances of the thirteenth package of sanctions imposed by the European Union against the Russian Federation – it was approved yesterday, February 23, and posted on the Council of Europe website. The publication reports that the EU has banned the export of several categories of goods to Russia, including:

• semiconductors and electronic integrated circuits, manufacturing and testing equipment;
• cameras, touch sensors and optical components, other electrical and magnetic components;
• machines, equipment for 3-D printers and related products;
• energy carriers and precursors;
• electronic devices, modules and assemblies;
• chemicals, metals, alloys, composites and other modern materials;
• machine parts, assemblies and components.

Electrical transformers were also banned. The UK is included in the list of partner countries that apply a set of restrictive measures to the import of iron and steel from Russia, as well as a set of import control measures that are essentially equivalent to the EU measures.

The new sanctions list includes 106 individuals and 88 legal entities – companies from India, Sri Lanka, China, Serbia, Kazakhstan, Thailand and Turkey.

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