Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1497322
Sanctions against Russia 50 Commons Library Research Briefing, 22 March 2023 • Those individuals engaged in Russia's illegitimate control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. • Dozens of individuals, companies and organisations linked to Russia's military industrial complex and aerospace sector. • Additional financial institutions, including banks, wealth management firms and over 30 third country actors linked to sanctions evasion (see below). The US Treasury notes that "sanctioned actors have been known to turn to smaller banks as well as wealth-management firms in an attempt to evade sanctions as Russia seeks new ways to access the international financial system". 205 • 1,219 members of the Russian military who had visa restrictions imposed. • Three Russian military officials: Artyom Gorodilov, Aleksey Bulgakov and Aleksandr Aleksandrovich for their involvement in the gross violation of human rights of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war. • The Russian private military company Redut. • Additional export restrictions on goods used to support Russian military capabilities. The US Treasury also identified the Russian metals and mining sector as subject to sanctions and designated four associated entities accordingly. 206 Additional tariff increases were also announced on a variety of goods, including metal and metal products which will now be subject to a 70% import tariff. 207 On 7 March 2023, US and EU officials also engaged with stakeholders in the diamond industry to discuss the possibility of future Russia-related import measures. Russia continues to earn billions of dollars from the diamond trade which has, so far, been subject to limited sanctions measures. 208 Sanctions evasion In March 2022, the US announced sanctions on several companies to prevent them evading sanctions and procuring "critical Western technology". 209 Among them were Radioavtomatika, which specialises in procuring foreign items for Russia's defence industry and Russia-based Serniya Engineering, which the US considers to be at the centre of "a procurement network engaged in proliferation activities at the direction of Russian Intelligence Services", in order to procure critical technologies for the Russian government. 210 Two companies in the UK, Majory LLP and Photon Pro LLP have been identified by the US as front companies being utilised by Serniya for its sanctions evading procurement activities. Both companies were designated 205 US Department of the Treasury, Press release, 24 February 2023 206 US Department of the Treasury, Press release, 24 February 2023 207 Office of the United States Trade Representative, Press release, 24 February 2023 208 US Department of State, Press release, 6 March 2023 209 US Department of the Treasury, Press release, 31 March 2022 210 US Department of the Treasury, Press release, 31 March 2022