U.S. Gives Sanctions To More Russian Leaders

The United States has slammed sanctions on more Russian leaders.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken made the announcement on Thursday.

The Secretary of State, in a statement, said more leaders have been sanctioned because President Vladimir Putin’s war was inflicting horror and widespread suffering on the people of Ukraine.

Those on the new list are the 328 members of the Russian State Duma.

This is in addition to the 12 members designated on March 11.

The U.S. accused them of supporting the Kremlin’s violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including through treaties recognising the self-proclaimed independence of  Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR).

Blinken said: “At the same time, in Russia, the State Duma continues to use its legislative power to target domestic dissenters and political opponents, disrupt the free flow of information, and restrict the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the citizens of Russia.  The United States today is designating 328 members of the Russian State Duma, in addition to the 12 members designated on March 11.  These members supported the Kremlin’s violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, including through treaties recognizing the self-proclaimed independence of Russian-proxy controlled areas of eastern Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR).

“The United States is also designating the Russian State Duma in its entirety, as well as Herman Gref, the head of Sberbank and a close ally of Putin.  Today’s actions are taken pursuant to Executive Order 14024, which authorises sanctions against Russia for its harmful foreign activities.  These actions complement the ongoing efforts of our allies and partners to hold to account enablers of this unconscionable war of choice against Ukraine and its people.”

America is also targeting multiple Russian elites to include their properties and family members.  This includes 17 members of the board of PJSC Sovcombank, a designated entity.  They join the growing list of individuals associated with blocked Russian financial institutions.

“Additionally, OOO Volga Group is being re-designated for having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy.  As a result, Gennady Nikolayevich Timchenko, the owner of OOO Volga Group, will also be re-designated along with OOO Transoil, which Timchenko owns.  Timchenko’s wife, Elena Petrovna Timchenko, and daughter, Natalya Browning, will now also be designated along with Ksenia Gennadevna Frank, a board member of OOO Transoil and her spouse Gleb Sergeevich Frank,” he said.

The United States, the statement said,  is taking action to impose additional severe costs on Russia’s defence establishment.

“An important component of today’s action is designating Russian defense companies that are part of Russia’s defense-industrial base and that produce weapons that have been used in Russia’s war of aggression.  By cutting off dozens of Russian defense companies from the U.S. financial system, today’s action will have a deep and long-lasting effect on Russia’s defense-industrial base.  We are targeting, and will continue to target, the suppliers of Russia’s war effort and, in turn, their supply chain.

“With our partners and allies, the United States aims to strike the heart of Russia’s ability to engage in warfare and carry out aggression against other countries, including Ukraine.  We will continue to impose costs until Putin ends this unprovoked war against Ukraine.  We call on those closest to Putin to cease and publicly condemn this cold-blooded war, which has caused the unconscionable death of hundreds of civilians, including children, and the largest humanitarian catastrophe in Europe since the Second World War,” Blinken added.