US sanctions major Russian state-owned firms; vows to 'keep raising cost for Putin's war'

As Washington continues to ramp up measures against Russia’s military aggression, the United States has added eight Russians along with 29 organisations to the sanctions list. The list included the “world’s largest diamond mining company” -- Alrosa -- which the US Treasury Department said is responsible for 90% of Russia’s capacity. However, the US Treasury Department said that it exempted telecommunications and internet equipment from sanctions against Russia.

In a statement published late Thursday, US President Joe Biden’s administration said that apart from Alrosa, it sanctioned Joint Stock Company United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), its subsidiaries and board members. According to Brian Nelson, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, the sanctions against Russian organisations “will continue to apply pressure to key entities that enable and fund Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine”.

“These actions, taken with the Department of State and in coordination with our allies and partners, reflect our continued effort to restrict the Kremlin’s access to assets, resources, and sectors of the economy that are essential to supplying and financing Putin’s brutality,” Nelson added.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said on Thursday that Washington blocked Alrosa and USC which are involved in the war in Ukraine. He noted, "USC is one of Russia’s largest state-owned enterprises, and it developed and constructed the warships that have bombarded Ukraine’s cities" while adding, "Alrosa is a diamond-mining company, controlled by the Russian government, the proceeds of which help to finance the Russian government’s war and atrocities against Ukraine."

Zelenskyy called for more sanctions against Russia

US’ additional sanctions on the world’s largest diamond mining company on Thursday came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for “powerful sanctions” against Russia in an exclusive interview with Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami. In a message to the world, Zelenskyy noted that “half measures” will not work and said, “Do not pretend as if you're trying to support Ukraine but don't want to lose all economic relations with Russia. Half measures won't work”.

The Ukrainian President told Arnab, “Sanctions would be like weapons, sanctions should be like nuclear weapons, sanctions are like modern state of the art weapons...Impose all the sanctions, powerful sanctions...Do not pretend you are trying to support Ukraine, but continue economic relations with Russia.”

From saying Kyiv is 'ready to withdraw' to positions before February 24 to taunting the United Nations (UN), Zelenskyy also spoke about a range of issues with Goswami. Starting off by thanking Republic for the opportunity to “talk to ordinary people through the channel", Zelenskyy averred that he has “no other willingness but to put an end” to the war which started on February 24. 

In late February, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced what he called a ‘special’ military operation, which according to Zelenskyy’s government, became a “genocide”. 

Image: AP