In a latest retaliation the US has announced to slap sanctions over top Russian officials and companies associated with the technology sector. The latest action is seen as a move to ramp up pressure on the already isolated Russian technology sector and topple its attempt to rebuild its heavily damaged defense sector.
The lastest list realesded by the US include top officials overseeing Russian securities markets operations, a neo-Nazi fighter group, Russian and pro-Russian officials in occupied parts of Ukraine, and a children’s rights official who allegedly directs the removal of Ukrainian children to Russia were all named to the US sanctions blacklist.
The GRU intelligence agency and a top economic advisor to President Vladimir Putin, Maxim Oreshkin, were placed on sanctions lists.
In a parallel action, US sanctions were targeted at Russian space, computing and technology firms, in an effort to cripple Russia’s technology development and stifle its ability to refurbish and modernize its military after broad losses in Ukraine.
And five Russian officials were blacklisted for allegedly supporting or enabling the theft by Russians of Ukrainian grain. “The United States continues to hold the Russian government to account for its war against Ukraine,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“Those designated today — from perpetrators of violence to an official facilitating the purposeful removal of children from Ukraine — provide examples of the behavior that has become synonymous with the Government of Russia’s unprovoked war,” he said.
US Treasury sanctions aim to freeze any assets those designated might have under US jurisdiction and forbid any US individuals or companies — including international banks with US operations — to do business with them, effectively limiting their access to global financial networks.
The sanctions singled out justice officials in occupied Crimea and members of Chechen Republic leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s family, including three of his wives.
The Treasury blacklisted Maria Alexeyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia’s Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights. Working directly under Putin, the Treasury said, Lvova-Belova has overseen the deportation of The United States has also stepped up its efforts to cut off Russian industry and particularly high-technology entities from the global market, seeking to deprive them of capital and components from abroad.
The State Department named 31 companies to its sanctions list, including three involved in building space instrumentation, satellites and space-defense equipment. Others on the list are involved in semiconductor development, nanotechnologies, quantum computing and engine technologies,
