The U.S. Department of State imposes sanctions on more than 80 organizations and individuals who continue to facilitate Russia's aggression.
Source. This was reported on the Department's website.
One of the main blows (along with similar actions by Britain) is inflicted on the empire of billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who, according to the US Treasury, is close to the Russian leadership and Putin personally and is an important financial backer of the war in Ukraine. Usmanov himself was added to the sanctions list on March 3 last year.
In particular, sanctions are being imposed on a number of companies associated with Usmanov, including the telecommunications company Megafon, as well as on the subsidiaries of Rosatom.
The U.S. Treasury Department said that the sanctions are aimed at restricting Russia's access to the international financial system through intermediaries and their businesses.
In total, the US added 25 individuals and 29 legal entities and organizations operating in 20 jurisdictions to the sanctions list.
Sanctions are also being imposed on a number of companies from China, Turkey, and the UAE, which, according to the Americans, support the Russian military-industrial complex, bypassing international sanctions.
The sanctions also target the International Investment Bank (IIB), a Budapest-based financial institution controlled by the Kremlin, as well as its Moscow branch and a number of its former and current senior executives.
According to the Americans, the Kremlin is using IIB to exert its harmful influence in Central Europe and the Balkans, and the bank can be a mechanism for corruption and illicit financing.
The US authorities have additionally listed 19 vessels blocked in connection with facilitating the evasion of sanctions in international transportation.