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US levies sanctions on dozens of Russian officials, companies

Thursday, 15 September 2022 8:34 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 15 September 2022 10:41 PM ]

Plastic letters arranged to read "sanctions" are placed in front of the flags colors of US and Russia in this picture taken on February 28, 2022. (Photo by Reuters)

The United States slaps sanctions against dozens of Russian officials and Ukrainian officials, whom it accuses of cooperation with Russia, as well as Russian agencies and companies over Moscow's military operation in Ukraine.

The US State Department announced the coercive measures on Thursday, identifying those affected as at least 23 officials and 31 Russian government entities, and accusing them of cooperation with the Russian operation.

Among other things, the measures enable asset freezes and ban Americans from doing business with the targeted officials and entities.

Russian forces launched the special operation in the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region on February 24 to defend, what Russian President Vladimir Putin has described as, the Ukraine-based pro-Russia “people who for eight years were suffering persecution and genocide by the Kiev regime.”

Soon after the launch of the operation, Washington and its European allies began imposing multiple rounds of sanctions against Russian officials, businessmen, banks, and entire economic sectors.

Back then, US President Joe Biden tried to justify the measures by alleging that the only other alternative to imposing the bans would be to start a “Third World War.”

Biden claims alternative to huge anti-Russia sanctions is World War III

US President Joe Biden tries to bolster huge but yet ineffective Western sanctions against Russia over its military operation in Ukraine, by claiming the only alternative would be to start a “Third World War.”

Reporting last month, however, Bloomberg said the US-led drive to isolate Russia through the economic bans had not succeeded, as half the countries in the Group of Twenty (G-20) leading global economies--namely Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Turkey--had refused to fall into line with the Western campaign.

Also on Thursday, the State Department said some of the individuals who had been slapped with the latest round of the sanctions, had faced the measures for participating in alleged theft of Ukrainian grain.

Speaking in July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there were no barriers to the export of grain from Ukrainian ports.