United States announces new sanctions against Russia

This is stated in the report of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury Department, released on Wednesday, Ukrinform reports.

"OFAC is further curbing Russia’s access to the international financial system through facilitators and their businesses. The United States, in coordination with the United Kingdom, is targeting the facilitation network of Alisher Usmanov, who is subject to sanctions in multiple jurisdictions," the statement said.

In addition, it is noted that the sanctions are being imposed to strengthen existing restrictions on Russia's imports of critical technologies used in the war against Ukraine.

In particular, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions against 25 individuals and 29 organizations with contact points in two dozen jurisdictions.

In addition, the U.S. State Department imposed restrictions on several structures of the Russian defense sector, as well as organizations that support Russia's war against Ukraine, including those associated with Rosatom.

In parallel, the US Department of Commerce also imposed sanctions, adding 28 organizations to the "blacklist".

As reported by Ukrinform, US sanctions against one of the richest men in Russia, Alisher Usmanov, were imposed in early March 2022. He owns huge stakes in many sectors of the economy, including metallurgy, mining, telecommunications, and information technology.

Usmanov has been described as a close associate of several high-ranking Russian officials, including President Putin.

Australia, Canada, the EU, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom have imposed sanctions on Usmanov.