On Wednesday, the U.S. government imposed sanctions on nearly 400 entities and individuals that have assisted Russia in invading Ukraine. This includes over 120 entities identified for sanctions by the U.S. Department of State, 270 entities sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department, and 40 companies and research institutions placed on the trade restriction list by the U.S. Commerce Department.
The U.S. Commerce Department on Wednesday added 40 companies and research institutions suspected of supporting the Russian military to the trade restriction list, continuing pressure on Russia to end its war in Ukraine.
According to Reuters, these entities include 13 Russian companies and 11 from China, which have been targeted by the U.S. Commerce Department for various reasons, such as supporting Russia’s chemical and biological weapons programs, drone production, and using U.S. aircraft parts.
The Commerce Department also implemented new restrictions on the export of 9 chemical precursors used in manufacturing riot control agents and chemical weapons deployed on the Ukrainian battlefield.
Alan Estevez, in charge of export policy at the Commerce Department, stated, “U.S. products should not fall into the hands of those supporting the Russian defense industry.” He added, “We will continue to thwart Russian procurement networks operating in China and anywhere else we see them.”
The Commerce Department noted that this action will complement similar actions by the U.S. Treasury Department and Department of State to prevent the Russian defense industry from using U.S. products.
The U.S. Treasury and Department of State issued statements on Wednesday stating that sanctions have been imposed on nearly 400 entities and individuals from over a dozen countries.
An official from the Department of State told Reuters that this action includes sanctions on dozens of companies from China, Hong Kong, and India, marking the most extensive sanctions against these countries to date.
The anonymous official stated, “This should send a strong message to the governments and private sectors of these countries that the U.S. government is committed to combating efforts to circumvent our sanctions against Russia and to continue pressuring Russia to end its war in Ukraine.”
The Treasury Department sanctioned 274 entities, while the Department of State noted sanctions on over 120 entities.
Wally Adeyemo, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, stated in a release, “The United States and our allies will continue to take decisive global action to prevent the flow of critical tools and technologies needed for Russia’s illegal and immoral war on Ukraine.”
The U.S. has repeatedly warned countries against providing “Common High Priority Items” to Russia, including advanced components such as microelectronics, which the U.S. and EU believe could be used in the war in Ukraine.
Adeyemo mentioned in an interview with Reuters on October 29 that since the Russia-Ukraine war began, over 70% of the high-priority items shipped to Russia came from China, estimated to be worth over $22 billion.
The Department of State and Treasury stated that the targets of Wednesday’s sanctions include companies from Hong Kong and China, which have been involved in shipping high-priority items worth tens of millions of dollars to Russian companies or end-users.