Computing chips and other high-tech equipment made by American companies continue to flow to Russia’s war machine despite U.S. efforts to stop them with export controls and sanctions, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Feb. 27.
The European Council extended until Feb. 28, 2025, its sanctions regime on Belarus for its support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The one-year extension was made as part of an annual review of the sanctions on Belarus, the council said Feb. 26. The restrictions include an asset freeze on 233 people and 37 entities, along with sectoral restrictions on the financial sector, trade, trade in dual-use goods and technology, and more.
China criticized the U.S. decision last week to sanction Chinese companies for allegedly helping Russia evade trade restrictions (see 2402230035). A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Feb. 26 that China “maintains an objective and impartial position” on the Russia-Ukraine war, and “normal trade and economic cooperation between China and Russia is not targeted at any third party or subject to any interference by any third party.” The spokesperson said Beijing “firmly opposes illegal unilateral sanctions against Chinese companies and will take necessary measures to resolutely protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.” The remarks were in response to a TASS news agency question during a regular press conference in Beijing.
Canada and Australia last week announced a range of new Russia-related sanctions to mark the two-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The U.K. corrected or amended one entry each under its sanctions regimes covering Russia, ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic. The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation updated the listings for Ilya Borisovich Brodskiy, 'Abd Al-Rahman Muhammad Mustafa Al-Qaduli, Willy Ngoma and Konstantin Aleksendrovitch Pikalov, respectively.
The EU announced its 13th sanctions package on Russia last week to mark two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, imposing designations against another 194 people and companies while expanding the list of advanced technology items that Russia is seeking for its defense and technology sectors.
DOJ last week announced a guilty plea and indictments as part of a scheme by Russians to illegally use U.S.-based companies to transfer and launder money.
DOJ last week announced a set of new charges, arrests and forfeiture proceedings to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The agency announced forfeiture actions involving $2.5 million in luxury properties, arrested two U.S. residents for helping a Russian violate sanctions, charged two sanctioned oligarchs with violating U.S. restrictions and more.
The Treasury Department published an analysis of the Russian oil price cap last week, saying that sanctions enforcement is “successfully forcing” Russia to sell oil at a discount, although Russian oil export markets have remained stable. The analysis includes data that tracks the price of Russian oil over the last two years and analyzes how the country’s revenue and exports have changed over time.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control last week sanctioned Russian state-owned shipping company and fleet operator Joint Stock Company Sovcomflot along with 14 of its crude oil tankers. Deputy Treasury Secretary said the designation will deal a “huge blow” to Russia’s shadow fleet operations (see 2303230010), which it uses to try to evade the global price cap on Russian oil.