New US sanctions target 130 who Treasury says helped Russia in Ukraine war

Treasury: Russia offshored tech, equipment production to other countries
Russia exploits relationships with China, Turkey, UAB, Treasury says
Individuals, entities who assisted with this are being hit with sanctions

Updated: Nov 2, 2023 / 09:30 AM CDT

In this photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service, emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

(NewsNation) — The U.S. Treasury announced Tuesday new sanctions on 130 “individuals and entities” it says helped Russia in its war against Ukraine.

In a news release, the Treasury said the sanctions take aim at those providing Russia with technology and equipment from other countries. Other sanctions target Russia’s future energy production and revenue, metals and mining sector, defense procurement and those involved in supporting its war effort and what officials call “other malign activities,” the Treasury said.

“Russia is dependent on willing third-country individuals and entities to resupply its military and
perpetuate its heinous war against Ukraine and we will not hesitate in holding them
accountable,” Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said in a statement. “Our global sanctions coalition has choked off Russia’s access to key inputs for its military-industrial complex and has undermined
the Kremlin’s ability to wage its unprovoked war. Today’s actions demonstrate our further
resolve in continuing to disrupt every link of Russian military supply chain, and target outside
actors who would seek to support Russia’s war effort.”

Because Russia is unable to produce the technology, equipment and other materials needed to sustain the war, it has offshored that production to third-country suppliers, according to the Treasury.

The Treasury said Russia exploits otherwise legitimate economic relationships with China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, and they become hubs for exporting, re-exporting and transshipping foreign-made technology and equipment to the country. Entities in these countries, the Treasury said, send dual-use goods to Russia, including critical components that it relies on for weapons systems.

“While Treasury will continue to work with the Governments of the PRC, Türkiye, and the UAE to address potential sanctions and export control vulnerabilities together in the spirit of bilateral cooperation, the Treasury will not hesitate to take action to prevent Russia from using the U.S. and international financial systems to sustain its war of aggression against Ukraine,” the news release said.

Those sanctioned include:

Azint Elektronik: a supplier of microelectronics that shipped electronic integrated circuits, tantalum, multilayer ceramic capacitors to Russia
Kuzey Logistics: a logistics company providing customs clearance and truck transportation to Russia
China Taly: a company that has shipped radar components to a Russian state-owned missile manufacturer
Artur Aleksandrovich Petrov, a Russian national who the Treasury says orchestrated a sanction evasion scheme to get U.S. electronics technology to Russian end-users
Berk Turken, the owner of BSB Group and Turken Digital, which the Treasury says has been involved in enabling Russian intelligence services to get technology for sanctioned entities

The United States has sanctioned Russia a number of times since the country invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. Last month, the State Department and Treasury said the y sanctioned over 150 people and organizations they say engaged in sanctions evasion and circumvention, as well as those who helped bolster Russia’s future energy production.