US Unleashes Heavy Sanctions on Russia: Over 500 Targets on Anniversary of Invasion and Navalny's Death
President Joe Biden said the measures aim to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin "pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home." The sanctions targeted Russia's Mir payment system, financial institutions and its military industrial base, sanctions evasion, future energy production and other areas. They also hit prison officials the U.S. says are linked to Navalny's death.
"Doesn't Washington realize that sanctions won't take us down?" Russia's ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, was quoted as saying on his embassy's channel on the Telegram messaging app. The United States later on Friday also imposed sanctions on Russia's leading tanker group, Sovcomflot, accusing it of being involved in violating the G7's price cap on Russian oil. Also targeted were 14 crude oil tankers in which it has an interest.
"Sovcomflot as a whole, as a parent company, has been implicated in price cap violations in addition to deceptive activity," a senior Treasury official said. The Biden administration is seeking to continue supporting Ukraine as the country faces acute shortages of ammunition, with the approval of more U.S. military aid delayed for months in the U.S.
Congress. The European Union, Britain and Canada also took action against Russia on Friday. The U.S.
Treasury Department targeted nearly 300 people and entities, while the State Department hit over 250 people and entities and the Commerce Department added over 90 companies to the Entity List. The United States and its allies have imposed sanctions on thousands of Russian targets since Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
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