US announces new sanctions against Russia in response to Ukraine’s annexation

The Biden administration announced new economic sanctions against hundreds of Russian officials and entities on Friday in response to the Kremlin’s illegal annexation of four regions of Ukraine.

The new sanctions target several front companies outside Russia set up this year to help major Russian military suppliers evade sanctions they have already faced.

The new designations also extended the sanctions imposed on top Kremlin officials to include their wives and adult children. After seven months of war and economic sanctions, these reviews provide a window into what US officials believe is working.

The Treasury Department identified 14 international suppliers that assisted Russia’s military supply chains. It also imposed designations on 109 members of the Russian State Duma and 169 members of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Also new on Friday is the addition of Elvira Sakipzadovna Nabiullina, the governor of the Russian Central Bank and a former adviser to Putin. Since 2013, it has overseen its efforts to protect the Kremlin from Western sanctions after Russia illegally seized Crimea in 2014, according to the Treasury.

The newly disabled family members are relatives of members of the Russian National Security Council. Among them are the wife of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and two adult children, along with the wife of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and adult children.

Meanwhile, the State Department will impose visa restrictions on Ushur Sog Mongush, due to a flagrant human rights violation committed against a Ukrainian prisoner of war and 910 individuals. The ministry will also impose visa restrictions on members of the Russian military, Belarusian military officials and agents working on behalf of the Kremlin.

Furthermore, the Department of Commerce adds 57 entities to its list of export controls. It will reaffirm that countries that seek to provide material support for the defense sector to Russia and Belarus are subject to sanctions.

In his announcement of the annexation Friday in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that “there are four new regions of Russia,” referring to the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson.

Putin cited the spurious referendum votes held in Russia-occupied regions, saying that voters had agreed to become parts of Russia. Western officials widely view these votes as fraudulent and illegitimate.

“The results are known and known,” Putin said.

Earlier this week, the White House said the United States would never acknowledge the results of the “mock referendum” and would continue to provide Ukraine with military and humanitarian support.

On Wednesday, the Biden administration They announced $1.1 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine. The upcoming aid package, the 22nd installment of this kind, brings the US commitment of more than $16.2 billion since then Russian invasion In late February.

Following Putin’s speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has not left his war-weary country since the full Russian invasion in February, said he would submit an ‘fast track’ application to join the military alliance.

“We’ve already made our way to NATO, and we’ve already demonstrated alignment with the Alliance’s standards,” Zelenskyy said in the messaging app Telegramwith reference to the requirements to join the 30-member bloc.

“We are taking our decisive steps by signing Ukraine’s request for rapid accession to NATO,” he added.