WASHINGTON — Joe Biden’s administration applied economic and diplomatic sanctions to hundreds of Russian, Chinese, Turkish and Emirati individuals and firms on Tuesday, targeting suppliers of supplies for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The announcement of this round of sanctions coincided with the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington to request financial aid for his nation’s fight against the Russian invasion, which will begin its third year in February.
Although Russia is the most sanctioned country in the world, these measures have not yet meant a decisive blow to its economy.
Tuesday’s package targets a multinational arms procurement network run by Chinese national Hu Xiaoxun, his China-based private defense company Jarvis HK Co. and a network of partners coordinating the sale of Chinese-made weapons and components. to Russia.
A representative for Jarvis did not respond to a request for comment.
War economy
The sanctions also target a group of companies based in Turkey, the UAE and the Maldives that participate in the weapons production process.
“The Kremlin has turned Russia into a war economy, but (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war machine cannot survive on domestic production alone,” said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
“Our sanctions today continue to tighten the turnstile on third countries and networks that supply the supplies that Russia desperately needs to raise and maintain its military industrial base.”
In addition to sanctioning gold producers and munitions transporters, the State Department imposed sanctions on three entities involved in the development of the Russian Ust-Luga liquefied gas terminal, which is under construction to be operated by a multinational energy with majority participation of the state company Gazprom and the Russian firm RusGazDobych.
The United States and its allies “are united in supporting Ukraine against Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified and illegal war,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
The sanctions block access to American property and bank accounts and prohibit affected individuals and firms from doing business with Americans.
Source: With information from AP
