US unveils new sanctions on Russia, targeting services, media and defense industry
The US has unveiled a new layer of sanctions on Russia, targeting services, Russia’s propaganda machine and its defence industry on the eve of Vladimir Putin’s planned Victory Day parade.
The new measures were announced as leaders from the G7 group of industrialised democracies held a virtual summit with Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy in a show of solidarity.
They are primarily intended to close loopholes in the existing sanctions and to tighten the noose around the Russian economy by another few notches.
The new sanctions include:
*A ban on sales of US services to Russia, like accountancy and management consultancy
*No more US advertising or sales of broadcasting equipment to three Kremlin-controlled television stations
*Technology export bans including industrial engines, bulldozers and other items that can be used by Russian defence factories
*Visa restrictions on another 2,600 Russian and Belarusian individuals, including military officials, and executives from Sberbank and Gazprombank
In imposing a ban on services the US is falling into line with the UK, which made a similar announcement last week. The two countries provide the overwhelming bulk of services like accountancy and management consultancy to Russian corporations.
The Biden administration sees US service providers as potential tools Russia could use to sidestep the punitive measures already imposed.
“They’ve been asked by Russian companies to help them figure out how to reformulate their business strategies in the wake of sanctions, in some cases how to get around these sanctions, or in the case of accountants how to hide some of their wealth, and we’re shutting that down,” a senior administration official said.
Like the UK, the restrictive measures do not
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