US sanctions on companies and individuals based in Cyprus for non-compliance with sanctions against Russia – “Global network of sanctions avoidance, supporting Russia's military industry” – Led by Russia and an arms dealer based in Cyprus
Sanctions22 natural and legal persons from various countries, including Cyprus, were imposed by the USA, with the category strong> that they are related to a global sanctions avoidance network, supporting Russia's military industry.
The sanctions, which come at a time when Washingtonis trying to increase the pressure on Moscowfor its invasion of Ukraine, are part of US efforts to target evasion of its sanctions around the world and to limit Russia's access to the revenue it needs for war, the US Treasury Department said in a statement on Wednesday .
The measure targets a sanctions avoidance network that the US Treasury Department said is led by Russia and an arms dealer based in Cyprus, Igor Zimenkov, who, along with his son, Jonathan, were sanctioned on Wednesday.
The network is involved in projects related to its defense capabilities Russia, including the supply of high-tech equipment after Russia invaded Ukraine, the US Treasury Department said. Washington has also accused some members of the network of supporting state-run Russian defense entities under sanctions.
Zimenkov also supported Belarus' military-industrial complex by facilitating the Latin American sales efforts of a Belarusian defense company under U.S. sanctions, the Treasury Department said.
Members of the network targeted by the US includeAsia Trading & Construction PTE Limited, based in Singaporeand its director, whom the Treasury Department accuses of having sold helicopters on behalf of Rostec, also under sanctions, to a government in Latin America.
GBD Limited, > yet another sanctioned network company has attempted to supply weapons systems to an African government, the Treasury Department said.
Companies based in Cyprus, Bulgaria and Israel,< /strong> as well as and many natural persons,were also targeted by US sanctions.
The Russian Embassy in the US said such “illegal steps” from Washington will not achieve their goal. “The Russian economy is far from being “in tatters”, as some in the West hope”, he said.
The measures, which freeze all U.S. assets of those on the sanctions list and generally bar Americans from doing business with them, mark the latest round of U.S. sanctions on Russia over the war in Ukraine, where thousands have been killed or injured.
“Russia's desperate efforts to use proxies to circumvent US sanctions show that sanctions have made it much more difficult and costly for Russia's military-industrial complex fueling Putin's war machine, Deputy Finance Minister Wally Adeyemo said.
