UK targets Russian-backed mercenaries, defense industry in major sanctions package
The U.K. government on Nov. 7 announced its largest package of sanctions against Russia since May 2023, focusing on the Russian defense industry and mercenary groups.
Sanctions
London unable to retrieve UK-licensed arms used to protect Russian oil tankers, Bloomberg reports
The United Kingdom has been unable to retrieve its weapons from floating armories offering weapons and accommodation for guards defending Russian oil tankers, Bloomberg reported on Nov. 5.
EU's anti-fraud arm investigating possible rebranding of Russian oil to avoid sanctions, Politico reports
The European Union’s anti-fraud agency opened an investigation into the possible exporting of rebranded Russian oil via Turkey into the EU, Politico reported on Nov. 5, citing two undisclosed sources.
Zelensky calls for tougher sanctions as Russia launched 2,000 drone attacks on Ukraine in October using foreign-made parts
"This volume of 'Shahed' drones means over 170,000 components that should have been blocked from reaching Russia," Zelensky said in his evening address. "Microchips, microcontrollers, processors, and many other parts are essential for enabling this terror."
Sanctioned LNG ships gather off Russian coast as buyers withdraw, Bloomberg reports
Tankers bearing sanctioned Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) have clustered off Russia's eastern coast following suspension of operations at the Arctic LNG 2 plant, indicating that Moscow is unable to find buyers for its product amid sanctions.
US imposes sanctions on nearly 400 individuals, legal entities, including Putin's relative
The recent limitations are applied to companies involved in sanctions evasion networks in 17 jurisdictions, including China, India, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Thailand, and Turkey, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
Sanctions delay to Russian zinc mine results in supply miscalculations, Reuters reports
Western sanctions on Russia's Ozernoye zinc mine have left the company struggling to replace key equipment needed to boost production, several sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.
Russia's wartime economy delivers growth, but will the bubble burst?
A draft budget submitted to the Russian parliament last month has outlined the Kremlin's plans to keep spending high in its wartime economy, with ambitions to maintain the steady levels of growth the country has seen since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Surging government spending on war
Opinion: Putin’s drone strategy shows the cracks in Russia’s war machine
Russia shot down one of its own drones — a large and stealthy S-70 — after it flew uncontrolled into Ukrainian territory in early October, sparking speculation about how Moscow lost control of this valuable asset so publicly. It’s an unforced error that will be keenly felt in Moscow, whose high
US to continue to 'tighten the screws' on Russian LNG exports, senior official says
"You can be assured that the Biden administration is going to continue to tighten the screws against Russia’s LNG exports," Jeffrey Pyatt, assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, said.
Opinion: Anti-money laundering watchdog FATF needs to blacklist Russia
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meets tomorrow, Oct. 22, and is expected to once again debate Russia’s blacklisting. That Russia, a clear state sponsor of terrorism, hasn’t been ousted from an intergovernmental body that sets global standards to combat terrorist financing, money laundering, and related financial crimes,
Western-made parts found in North Korean missile downed over Ukraine, report shows
Microelectronics made by companies from the U.S., Switzerland, the U.K., and the Netherlands were found in the North Korean missile that was shot down over Poltava Oblast.
US announces new sanctions against Chinese, Russian producers of drones used in Ukraine
The two Chinese companies — Limbach and Redlepus — have been working in tandem with IEMZ Kupol, a subsidiary of the Kremlin-owned weapons company Almaz-Antey, to create the drones, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement.
US, South Korea, Japan launch multinational group to monitor North Korea sanctions
The move came after Russia and China have blocked monitoring activities at the United Nations. In March, Moscow vetoed the annual renewal of the panel of experts monitoring U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
70% of Russian oil shipped by shadow fleet, posing environment risk, report says
Russia's "shadow fleet" of older and poorly insured tankers transports 70% of the country's seaborne exports, according to an analysis published by the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) Insititute on Oct. 14.
Hungary blocks EU sanctions changes, holding up $50 billion G7 loan package for Ukraine
"We believe that this issue, the prolongation of the Russian sanctions, should be decided after the U.S. elections. We have to see in which direction the future U.S. administration is going with this issue," Hungarian Finance Minister Mihaly Varga said.
UK slaps sanctions on Russian forces for chemical weapons use in Ukraine
The United Kingdom issued sanctions against Russian units involved in the use of chemical weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine, the country's Foreign Office said on Oct. 8.
Opinion: Putin’s economic gamble is a ticking time bomb for Russia’s future
Two and a half years after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Russian economy seems like a riddle wrapped in an enigma of competing narratives. If you want to argue that the economy has been hobbled by Western sanctions, by the Kremlin’s prioritizing of
EU readies to sanction Iran over missile shipments to Russia, Bloomberg reports
According to Bloomberg, the EU's sanctions would target "about a dozen individuals and entities," which includes firms involved in the engineering, metals, and aviation sectors.
US sanctions Russia-based cybercrime group 'Evil Corp'
"Evil Corp has used the Dridex malware to infect computers and harvest login credentials from hundreds of banks and other financial institutions in over 40 countries, resulting in more than $100 million in theft losses and damage suffered by U.S. and international financial institutions and their customers," said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.
Advisor to Putin accuses West of isolating Kaliningrad by disrupting transit links
Nikolai Patrushev, an advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin, accused the West on Sept. 27 of attempting to isolate Kaliningrad Oblast by disrupting transportation links between the exclave and mainland Russia. Speaking at a meeting in Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea, Patrushev claimed
UK introduces sanctions against ships, companies involved in export of Russian LNG
The U.K. imposed sanctions on Sept. 25 against five vessels and two companies involved in the transportation of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) as it looks to exert more pressure on sources of revenue for the Kremlin, according to a statement. While LNG exports have been less heavily sanctioned
Opinion: As Russia circumvents sanctions, Europe faces a strategic crossroads
Returning from their summer recess, European Union leaders have a packed agenda. At the top of the list are strengthening the bloc’s readiness for conflict and bolstering its economic competitiveness. For decades, the EU relied on economic influence as a substitute for hard power. But in an era of
Russia struggles to rewire global trade amid sanctions, war, WSJ analysis says
As the full-scale invasion continues, Western countries are imposing increasingly severe sanctions on Russia, forcing it to seek new partnerships with Asian powerhouses China and India.
Ukraine slaps new sanctions against individuals, entities from Iran, China, Russia
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against six individuals and over 40 entities from Iran, China, and Russia.
US sanctions Russian individuals, entities engaging in prohibited transactions with North Korea
"The U.S. remains strongly committed to leveraging all our available tools to disrupt this and other schemes intended to support Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and enable (North Korea's) illicit access to the international financial system," said Treasury official Bradley Smith.
IMF reportedly postpones controversial visit to Russia
The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) planned visit to Russia has been "postponed indefinitely," Russian state-controlled news agency TASS reported on Sept. 17.
As FIDE considers lifting sanctions, Ukrainian chess community calls for continued ban on Russian and Belarusian players
A group of 13 Ukrainian chess players has sent a letter to the International Chess Federation (FIDE), urging the continued ban on Russian and Belarusian players from competitions due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
US announces sanctions against Georgian officials for human rights abuses
"Today's action underscores our concern about the consequences of anti-democratic actions in Georgia and efforts by key individuals to use violence and intimidation to achieve their aims," said Treasury official Bradley Smith.
Russia buys Western aircraft parts via intermediaries despite sanctions, media reports
Russia managed to import aircraft tires worth $30 million from Western and other foreign manufacturers last year despite sanctions, The Guardian reported on Sept. 12, citing a report from a Ukrainian agency it had obtained.
US foreign agent rules can't keep pace with Russian propaganda
U.S. government legal actions targeting a network of Russian influence last week have exposed shortcomings in the country's laws designed to tackle the malign influence of foreign agents, experts told the Kyiv Independent. Treasury sanctions targeted leaders of Russian state-owned news outlet RT, formerly Russia Today, a media organization
UK sanctions 10 Russian 'shadow' vessels involved in oil trade
The U.K. has sanctioned 10 Russian vessels that are part of the "shadow fleet" of ships that transport Russian oil around the world, the U.K. Foreign Office announced on Sept. 11.
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