Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced a bill April 1 to sanction Russia and its supporters if Moscow refuses to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine in good faith or undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty after a peace deal is reached.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on April 2 removed Russian national Karina Rotenberg, also known as Karina Gapchuk Fox, from its Specially Designated Nationals List. Rotenberg was sanctioned for allegedly helping her husband, Russian businessman Boris Rotenberg, evade sanctions, according to OpenSanctions.org. Boris Rotenberg was designated in 2014. OFAC didn’t release more information.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned a network of people and companies connected to Sa’id al-Jamal, a sanctioned senior Houthi financial official backed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force. OFAC said the network has bought tens of millions of dollars’ worth of commodities from Russia, including weapons and other sensitive goods, for the Houthis in Yemen. The agency also sanctioned eight digital asset wallets used by the Houthis to move money.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on March 31 renewed the temporary denial order for Russian air cargo carrier Aviastar for one year after finding it continues to violate U.S. export controls. The agency said the airline has continued to illegally operate aircraft subject to the Export Administration Regulations, including for flights within Russia and between Russia and India.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned six entities and two people in Iran, the United Arab Emirates and China responsible for buying drone parts for Iran-based Qods Aviation Industries, the leading manufacturer for the country's drone program. DOJ also announced charges against people and one company involved in the network after saying they illegally sent controlled U.S. technology to Iran.
House Select Committee on China ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., urged the Trump administration March 31 to investigate whether China’s Yantai iRay Technology Co. Ltd. is evading U.S. sanctions by selling its thermal imaging products in the U.S. through subsidiaries and other affiliated entities.
The U.K. extended a general sanctions license that permits sanctioned entity Russian Railways to pay Lithuanian Railways for the transit of "persons between the Kaliningrad Region and other parts of Russia via the passenger rail service operated by" Lithuanian Railways. The license's original expiration date of April 13, 2025, has been extended until 11:59 p.m. on April 13, 2027. It also lets Lithuanian Railways receive payments from Russian Railways for this type of travel and permits people or entities to "carry out any activity reasonably necessary to effect" payments to Lithuanian Railways.
The Council of the European Union on March 27 sanctioned another 25 people and seven entities under its Belarus sanctions regime for undermining democracy in Belarus and aiding Russia in its war against Ukraine.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week updated a range of entries on its Specially Designated Nationals List to include the fact that they're a "secondary sanctions risk." The change impacts sanctioned people and entities with ties to China, Russia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and other regions. OFAC didn't immediately release more information.
The U.K. this week amended or corrected sanctions listings under its Russia and Global Human Rights sanctions regimes. Under the Russia restrictions, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation amended the listings for 2Rivers DMCC and 2Rivers PTE LTD, noting that the companies are sanctioned for supporting the Russian government by "carrying on business in a sector of strategic significance" to the Russian government, "namely the Russian energy sector." Under the Global Human Rights sanctions regime, OFSI corrected the listing for Wasantha Karannagoda, commander of the Sri Lankan Navy from 2005 to 2009, to reflect the title of Admiral as part of his full name.