New US sanctions have targeted more individuals in Russian government, including its senior military officials and the leader of Kremlin-allied Belarus. Some of the new sanctions were brought under the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 act of Congress that authorizes sanctions against those engaged in human rights abuses.
Yesterday’s sanctions show the US going after more individual officials after laying down toughest sanctions against Russian institutions and top figures over President Vladimir Putin’s nearly 3-week-old military action in Ukraine.
In a statement, US Treasury official Andrea Gacki, said yesterday’s action demonstrate the US will continue to impose concrete and significant consequences for those who engage in corruption or are connected to gross violations of human rights.
That includes newly announced sanctions against Natalia Mushnikova, a Moscow judge in the case of Sergei Magnitsky, the anti-corruption whistleblower for whom the act is named. Also targeted is Nurid Salamov, a prosecuting investigator in Russia whom Treasury accuses of taking part in an allegedly trumped-up case against Oyub Titiev, of the rights group Memorial.
The sanctions also add to sanctions against Alexander Lukashenko, the longtime leader of Belarus and his wife. Other new sanctions target eight deputy Russian defense ministers and other senior military officials.
European Union has imposed new sanctions against Russia. EU has banned its energy sector investments, luxury goods exports to Moscow and imports of steel products from the country for its military action in Ukraine.
New European Union sanctions against Russia sought to deny oligarchs their love of luxury and block Russia from cashing in on its lucrative steel exports. United Kingdom also joined in the targeting.
The sanctions also freeze the assets of more business leaders who support the Russian state, including Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich and the head of Russian state TV Channel One Konstantin Ernst, who were added to a blacklist that already includes dozens of wealthy Russians.
European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said, these new sanctions will cut Russia off even further and drain its resources to finance this barbaric war.
European Union has already hit about 600 Russians during four rounds of sanctions, including 15 individuals and nine entities in the fourth package.
Russia has imposed sanctions on US President Joe Biden and a dozen other top officials. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, the measure, which also applies to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, is the consequence of the extremely Russophobic policy pursued by the current US administration.
Russia also put on its stop list Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
Also on the list are Deputy National Security Advisor Daleep Singh, US Agency for International Development chief Samantha Power, Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo, and US Export-Import Bank chief Reta Jo Lewis. Russia also banned from entry Biden’s son Hunter and former secretary of state and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
The foreign ministry warned Moscow will soon announce additional sanctions against a range of Russophobic US officials, military officers, lawmakers, businessmen and media personalities.
In response to Russia’s military action in Ukraine, the US banned President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as well as a ban on Russian imports of oil, natural gas and coal.