The United States imposed sanctions against Expobank and former CEO of Megafon Ivan Tavrin

The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has expanded its sanctions list against Russia to include more than 200 individuals and entities.

In particular, former CEO of Megafon Ivan Tavrin and companies associated with him, including Kismet Capital Group, were subject to American sanctions. In addition, businessman Vladislav Sviblov and his gold mining holding Highland Gold and the company Fortiana Holdings Limited were sanctioned. In addition to them, the US authorities imposed sanctions against the Kyiv Ploshchad development group and Expobank.

Also subject to restrictions were enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex, for example, the Degtyarev Plant, the Izhevsk electromechanical plant Kupol, the Perm Powder Plant and the Novosibirsk Cartridge Plant.

In the same update of the sanctions list, the US authorities introduced restrictions on citizens and companies, including from China, Turkey, and the UAE, which help Russia circumvent sanctions.

“Putin’s war machine cannot survive on domestic production alone. Our sanctions today continue to tighten control over third-country suppliers who are willing to provide Russia with the resources it needs to build and maintain its military-industrial complex,” said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

• As wrote Meduza and The Bell , Ivan Tavrin was put forward by the Kremlin as a compromise buyer of the Russian part of Yandex. For the company's board of directors, he looked like a “clean” candidate who was not subject to Western sanctions, and for the Russian authorities - as an understandable and loyal investor. After Tavrin was included in the US sanctions list, the deal, which was expected to be closed before the end of 2023, was again in question.