Russia slapped with more sanctions by Western countries

The US, the UK, and Canada have imposed more sanctions against Russian individuals and companies.

The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) reports that US sanctions are now introduced against Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko, Education Minister Sergey Kravtsov, Russian oligarch Igor Kesayev, and other individuals. In addition, sanctions have been imposed on the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Gubkin Russian State Oil and Gas University, and Sergo Ordzhonikidze Russian Geological Exploration University. Polymetal, the gold mining company Polyus, as well as a number of companies serving the Russian defence sector.

The UK also added more people and companies from Russia to its sanction list. The restrictions are imposed on 86 individuals and legal entities linked to the key cash flows of:

• companies linked to the theft of Ukrainian grain;

• companies involved in Russian fuel exports;

• companies linked to Rosatom’s support of Putin’s military efforts.

London also slapped sanctions on Russia’s Metallurgic Investment Bank, Tinkoff Bank, and Rosbank. Restrictions are now also applied to 13 Gazprom Neft Board of Director members and five Transneft Board of Governor members.

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly stressed that Russian assets would remain frozen until Moscow agrees to pay for the damages inflicted on Ukraine. Moreover, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced new bans on Russian diamond and metal imports.

Canada, meanwhile, also imposed sanctions on more than 70 Russian citizens, The Canadian Press writes. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the G7 summit in Japan that “more than 70 new sanctions focus on people who are supporting Russia’s illegal military action and complicit in human rights violations”. He also confirmed that Canada will continue backing Ukraine and “the rule-based international order”.