The United States on Friday unveiled a massive tranche of sanctions in the latest effort to target Russia’s war machine and President Joe Biden announced additional aid for Kyiv as the war in Ukraine continues.
The sanctions from the US Treasury and State Departments hit nearly 400 people and entities both in and outside Russia, including China.
The sanctions – unveiled ahead of Ukrainian Independence Day – specifically target those supporting the Russian supply chain and defense base, as well as those helping Moscow to evade current sanctions.
In a further show of support for Ukraine, Biden on Friday announced a new aid package that includes air defense missiles and counter-drone equipment.
“When Russia’s senseless war began, Ukraine was a free country,” Biden wrote in a lengthy statement.
The US and its European partners have expressed strong concern about Beijing’s support for Russia’s war economy and its export of dual-use items for use in the war in Ukraine.
“Russia continues to leverage sanctions evasion and circumvention networks” to get microelectronics and machine tools “which it uses to make weapons,” it said.
The new round of sanctions come as Ukraine has launched an audacious incursion into Russia’s Kursk region that has left Moscow on the back foot for the first time in months.
President Joe Biden announced more aid for Kyiv as the war in Ukraine rages on Friday, while the United States unveiled a massive tranche of sanctions in the latest attempt to target Russia’s war machine.
The US State and Treasury Departments imposed sanctions on almost 400 individuals and organizations inside and outside of Russia, including China.
Unveiled ahead of Ukraine’s Independence Day, the sanctions specifically target those who assist Moscow in evading the current sanctions and those who support Russia’s defense base and supply chain. Biden on Friday unveiled a new aid package that includes counter-drone technology and air defense missiles as an additional demonstration of his support for Ukraine.
In a lengthy statement, Biden stated, “Ukraine was a free country when Russia’s senseless war began.”. It is still a free country today. Ukraine will continue to be a free, independent nation when the conflict is over. “.
Speaking with Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, on Friday, Biden stated that the people of Ukraine had, for two and a half years, “resisted Russia’s vicious onslaught, including retaking more than half of the territory Russian forces seized in the initial days of the war” and had “remained unbowed in the face of Russia’s heinous war crimes and atrocities.”. “.
Biden wrote, “And day after day, they have defended the values that unite people across both of our nations and around the world—including independence.”. For this reason, I’m happy to announce today a fresh round of military assistance for Ukraine. “.
Anti-armor missiles and ammunition are included in the package in addition to air defense gear.
He wrote, “Make no mistake: Russia will not win this conflict.”. “The independent Ukrainian people will triumph, and we at the US, our allies, and our partners will be by their side at every turn.”. “.
John Kirby, a communications adviser for the National Security Council, told reporters on Friday morning, “We continue to support Ukraine’s fight for their independence, and independence that they have had to defend pretty mightily here over the last two and a half years.”. Thus, I predict that as we formally celebrate their Independence Day, we will also provide more material support for their independence, particularly in the form of increased security assistance to Ukraine to aid in their self-defense. “.
“Perpetually dedicated”.
Many Chinese-based companies are specifically targeted by the raft of sanctions announced on Friday, which Vice President Biden described as “part of our enduring commitment to hold Russia accountable for its aggression.”. Concerns over Beijing’s backing of Russia’s war economy and its exports of dual-use goods for the conflict in Ukraine have been voiced by the US and its European allies.
Beijing was referred to as “a decisive enabler of Russia’s war against Ukraine” in the July NATO Summit declaration, which also cautioned that China “cannot enable the largest war in Europe in recent history without this negatively impacting its interests and reputation”. US officials stated that they had forewarned their Chinese counterparts about the dangers of endorsing Moscow’s military campaign.
The People’s Republic of China, or PRC, is the formal name of China. According to a State Department fact sheet, the agency is still “concerned by the magnitude of dual-use goods exports from the PRC to Russia.”.
Russia “continues to leverage networks of sanctions evasion and circumvention” to obtain machine tools and microelectronics “which it uses to make weapons,” the statement stated. Russia is able to produce weapons, increase defense production, and strengthen its military-industrial base because imports from the PRC are bridging vital gaps in its defense production cycle. “.
In addition, the fact sheet stated that “today, the Department is designating several PRC-based entities that have supplied goods supporting Russia’s war effort, including ones responsible for developing, producing, and supplying manufacturing equipment to entities based in Russia.”.
According to the Treasury, it is focusing on “many transnational networks, including those involved in supplying Russia with military hardware and ammunition; helping Russian oligarchs evade sanctions by providing offshore trust and corporate formation services; avoiding sanctions imposed on Russia’s cyber actors; laundering gold for a Russian gold company that is sanctioned; and supporting Russia’s military-industrial base by supplying critical and sensitive items like electronic components and advanced machine tools.”. “.
According to the press release, it is also “targeting Russian financial technology companies that provide necessary software and IT solutions for Russia’s financial sector.”.
The Treasury Department press release stated that the State Department is simultaneously “targeting entities and individuals involved in Russia’s future energy, metals, and mining production and exports; sanctions evasion; Russia’s military-industrial base, including armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) production, Belarusian support for Russia’s war effort, and air logistics entities; additional subsidiaries of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom; and malign actors involved in the attempted, forcible’re-education’ of Ukraine’s children.”.
The bold incursion by Ukraine into Russia’s Kursk region has put Moscow on the defensive for the first time in months, prompting the latest round of sanctions. Since the beginning of their surprise attack, troops have penetrated Russian defenses up to 35 kilometers (21 points 7 miles), according to Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who also said that 93 settlements have been taken.
According to Kirby’s statement on Friday, “We are still concerned about what’s going on in Kursk, but it’s too early to know whether that could have an escalation effect.”. “.
There are now more details available in this story.
