The US announced on Thursday, the 2nd of November, that it is introducing new and broad sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine, focusing on its future energy capabilities, sanctions evasion and suicide drones that threaten Ukrainian forces and equipment. The sanctions cover hundreds of individuals and organisations, reports Reuters, citing a State Department statement.
The US has imposed sanctions on one of the largest companies involved in the Arctic-2 LNG project in Siberia, which exports liquefied natural gas around the world, the State Department said in the statement.
Reuters reports that in addition, sanctions have been targeted against KUB-BLA and Lancet suicide drones used by the Russian army, as well as against ZALA Aero and A Level Aerosystems CST, accused of supporting their production, and Alexander Zakharov, considered by the US State Department to be the creator and designer of these drones.
Dozens of Russian companies were added to trade blacklist
for supplying drones to the Russian army that could be used to help Moscow invade Ukraine, according to the Commerce Department statement.
The US has stepped up efforts to curb sanctions evasion in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and China. Reuters writes that the US Treasury Department said that companies in these countries have shipped dual-use items, including components for Russian weapons systems. The Treasury Department has also sanctioned seven Russian banks and numerous industrial companies, including Gazpromneft Catalytic Systems LLC, which produces chemicals for advanced oil refining in Russia.
According to Reuters, the Kremlin said on Thursday before the US announcement that it expected even tougher sanctions from the West, but the Kremlin believes
such sanctions are more damaging to Western interests while the Russian economy is adapting well.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the new sanctions in a video address, saying that “this is exactly what is needed” and the importance of ensuring their full effectiveness so that Russia cannot bypass them.
In a Telegram message, Andriy Yermak, head of the Zelensky administration, welcomed the sanctions in particular those related to the Lancet drone, and welcomed the “tightening of restrictions on companies linked to the Russian military-industrial complex”.
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