Following Russia’s two years of unprovoked full-scale war, death of opposition politician and anticorruption activist Aleksey Navalny, and a decade of aggression against Ukraine, the United States is sanctioning more than 500 individuals and entities in Russia and globally.
In a statement released by the State Department spokesman, Mathew Miller on Friday stating that there is clear link between Russia’s authoritarianism, its domestic crackdown on dissent, and its aggression abroad making it additional costs on Russia for both its internal repression and foreign aggression.
Today 24th February marks two years since Russia’s Vladimir Putin launched full-scale invasion of Ukraine. After ten years of conflict, sovereign, democratic Ukraine remains courageous in the face of formidable odds.
The United States said further that through the Department of State is sanctioning three individuals in connection with the death of Navalny in Russian Penal Colony IK-3: the prison warden, regional prison head, and deputy director of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia.
“In addition, the Department is imposing sanctions on more than 250 entities and individuals, including those engaged in sanctions evasion and circumvention, and those bolstering Russia’s future energy and metals and mining production.
“Along with these actions, the Department is sanctioning several individuals to promote accountability for acts supporting Russia’s war, including by those involved in the unlawful transfer and/or deportation of Ukrainian children.
“Today’s financial sanctions targets are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024, as amended, which authorizes sanctions with respect to specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation.
Adding that the Department is also taking steps to impose visa restrictions on Russian Federation-installed purported authorities involved in human rights abuses connecting with the transfer, deportation and confinement of Ukrainian children.
In his reaction, the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in a statement said United States will continue to stand resolutely with Ukrainian people in their defense of their homeland.
He said, “Putin’s war threatens not only Ukraine, but also the security of the United States, our NATO Allies, and the free and open international order we depend on.
“It is imperative that we defend the basic rules that have undergirded peace, security, and prosperity since the end of World War II, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right of states to choose their own future.
He added that the United States has built a coalition of 50 countries, including all NATO members and the G7 in defense of freedom of a sovereign democratic nation. “Together, we will continue to impose costs on Putin’s Russia for its actions and ensure accountability for its crimes”.
According to him, “Today, the United States’ Departments of State, Treasury, and Commerce, in coordination with our allies and partners, are taking additional new measures to respond to Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
“Its global malign influence, and the death of Aleksey Navalny in prison and its intensifying repression at home by sanctioning and imposing export control restrictions on more than 500 individuals and entities, our largest number of designations in a single Russia-related action”.
Blinken noted that the United States will use all available tools to hinder Russia’s ability to access the global financial system, disrupt Russia’s military-industrial-procurement, stand in solidarity with Russians striving for a more democratic future, and ensure Putin’s invasion remains a strategic failure for Russia.
On X, Ukrainian President, Volodymr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the United States for imposing these largest single package of sanctions against Russia.
He said, “We must completely deprive the Kremlin of revenues used to fund its aggressive war against Ukraine, as well as halt all of its ability to produce missiles, drones, and bombs that kill Ukrainians and destroy our cities and communities.
“Putin does not value human lives, but he does value money. And the only thing he fears is the free world’s bold decisions. We must deprive Putin’s Russia of all means and maximize the sanctions pressure so that Moscow can no longer finance its war”, the President added.
This two years of Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, escalating his war of aggression. In doing so, unleashing unspeakable violence and brutality that has left hundreds of thousands dead and forced millions to flee.
