US sanctions 400 entities aiding Russia’s war, including Turkish firms, individuals

The United States unveiled sanctions Wednesday against almost 400 people and firms in more than a dozen countries including Turkey, accusing them of supplying Russia with advanced technology to support its “war machine,” Agence France-Presse reported.

The US Treasury Department announced sweeping sanctions against 275 individuals and entities in countries including India, China, Switzerland and Turkey aimed at “disrupting global evasion networks.”

“The United States and our allies will continue to take decisive action across the globe to stop the flow of critical tools and technologies that Russia needs to wage its illegal and immoral war against Ukraine,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a statement.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion into Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has sought to economically isolate Moscow with a wave of unilateral and coordinated actions, but the deadly conflict has continued to burn on.

Tensions have escalated in recent weeks, with Russia making significant territorial gains and Western countries accusing the Kremlin of training as many as 10,000 North Korean troops in preparation for battlefield deployment.

The Treasury’s actions on Wednesday were supported by additional sanctions from the US State Department aimed at tackling entities supporting Russia’s war efforts.

“Building on the unprecedented measures we have already imposed in coordination with our allies and partners, the United States is today imposing sanctions on nearly 400 entities and individuals for enabling Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

“The Department of State is targeting sanctions circumvention by parties in multiple third countries, several senior Russian Ministry of Defense officials and defense companies, and those that support the development of Russia’s future energy production and exports.”

The Commerce Department also unveiled trade restrictions against 40 foreign entities over “their support for the Kremlin’s illegal war in Ukraine.”

Commerce also tightened existing restrictions on a further 49 foreign entities from countries including China, Britain and the United Arab Emirates “to address their procurement of high-priority US-branded microelectronics and other items on behalf of Russia.”

“American products do not belong in the hands of those who prop up Russia’s defense industrial base,” Alan Estevez, Commerce’s undersecretary for industry and security, said in a statement.