Unic Press UK: The United States has imposed more sanctions on perceived ‘cronies’ of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that the punitive measures are necessary in the light of alleged interference of the Russian government in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and other “ worldwide malign activity.”
Seven of Russian oligarchs and 12 companies they own or control, 17 senior Russian government officials, a Russian bank, and a state-owned Russian weapons trading company and its subsidiary are being designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Department of State.
In a statement Friday, the 6th April, the United States Department of the U.S. Department of Treasury said:
“The Russian government operates for the disproportionate benefit of oligarchs and government elites. The Russian government engages in a range of malign activity around the globe, including continuing to occupy Crimea and instigate violence in eastern Ukraine, supplying the Assad regime with material and weaponry as they bomb their own civilians, attempting to subvert Western democracies, and malicious cyber activities. Russian oligarchs and elites who profit from this corrupt system will no longer be insulated from the consequences of their government’s destabilizing activities.”
The U.S. also claims that Russia contributed to instability in Syria through the sale and transfer of Russian-origin military materiel to Assad’s regime
Designated Russian Oligarchs
Vladimir Bogdanov, Oleg Deripaska, Suleiman Kerimov, Igor Rotenberg, Kirill Shamalov, Andrei Skoch, Viktor Vekselberg.
Designated Oligarch-Owned Companies
B-Finance Ltd., EN+ Group, GAZ Group, Agroholding Kuban, EuroSibEnergo, Russian Machines and Basic Element Limited are being designated for being owned or controlled directly or indirectly by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
United Company RUSAL PLC is being designated for being owned or controlled directly or indirectly by EN+ Group.
NPV Engineering Open Joint Stock Company and Gazprom Burenie, OOO is being designated for being owned or controlled by Russian oligarch Igor Rotenberg.
Ladoga Menedzhment, OOO is being designated for being owned or controlled by Russian oligarch Kirill Shamalov.
Renova Group is being designated for being owned or controlled by Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg.
Designated Russian State-Owned Firms
Rosoboroneksport and the Russian Financial Corporation Bank (RFC Bank) is being designated for being owned by Rosoboroneksport.
Designated Russian Government Officials
Andrey Akimov, the Chairman of the Management Board of state-owned Gazprombank.
Mikhail Fradkov, the President of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS).
Sergey Fursenko, a member of the board of directors of Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary of state-owned Gazprom.
Oleg Govorun, the Head of the Presidential Directorate for Social and Economic Cooperation with the Commonwealth of Independent States Member Countries.
Alexey Dyumin, the Governor of the Tula region of Russia.
Vladimir Kolokoltsev, the Minister of Internal Affairs and General Police of the Russian Federation.
Konstantin Kosachev, the Chairperson of the Council of the Federation Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Andrey Kostin, a member of the Supervisory Council of state-owned VTB Bank.
Alexey Miller, the Chairman of the Management Committee and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of state-owned company Gazprom.
Nikolai Patrushev, the Secretary of the Russian Federation Security Council.
Vladislav Reznik, a member of the Russian State Duma.
Evgeniy Shkolov, an Aide to the President Vladimir Putin.
Alexander Torshin, the State Secretary – Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation.
Vladimir Ustinov, the Plenipotentiary Envoy to Russia’s Southern Federal District.
Timur Valiulin, the head of the General Administration for Combatting Extremism within Russia’s Ministry of Interior.
Alexander Zharov, the head of Roskomnadzor (the Federal Service for the Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media).
Viktor Zolotov, the Director of the Federal Service of National Guard Troops and Commander of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation.
