US sanctions over 400 firms accused of aiding Russian war effort

Russian war effort:- The United States imposed new sanctions Friday on more than 400 entities accused of supporting Russia during its war with Ukraine.

Announced the day before Ukraine’s Independence Day holiday, the sanctions focus on firms in Russia, Europe, Asia and the Middle East accused of helping Russia avoid U.S. sanctions and enabling its war in Ukraine, according to a Treasury Department press release.

The Biden administration also added 123 firms to the U.S. export control list, which requires suppliers to obtain licenses prior to shipping items to the companies listed. Those added Friday included 42 Chinese firms and 63 Russian firms, according to a notice published in the Federal Register.

The U.S. has repeatedly warned Beijing about supplying Moscow with machinery and technology that supports Russia's military industrial base and its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

China says it has not provided weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine, but it has defended what it calls normal trade between Beijing and Moscow.

The U.S. Treasury Department also warned “foreign regulators and financial institutions" about doing business with overseas branches or subsidiaries of Russian financial institutions, including those that are not sanctioned.

“Treasury has a range of tools available to respond to the establishment of new evasion channels,” the statement added.

By imposing new sanctions, the Treasury is continuing "to implement the commitments" made by President Joe Biden and his counterparts from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations "to disrupt Russia’s military-industrial base supply chains and payment channels,” said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo, who was quoted in the Treasury statement.

"Companies, financial institutions and governments around the world need to ensure they are not supporting Russia’s military-industrial supply chains,” he said. VOA/SP