US and EU impose hundreds of new sanctions on Russia following Alexei Navalny’s death in Ukraine conflict

February 23, 2024 TruthUSA

Hundreds of new sanctions have been imposed on Russia by the US and the EU ahead of the second anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine and a week after Alexei Navalny’s death.

Among those targeted by Washington’s over 500 new sanctions are individuals involved in Mr. Navalny’s imprisonment and three Russian officials the US claims have ties to his death.

The Russian opposition leader, a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, passed away suddenly in an Arctic penal colony last Friday.

Latest on Ukraine-Russia conflict: Putin ‘may achieve war goal’

President Joe Biden, who has condemned the death, met Mr. Navalny’s widow and daughter on Thursday.

The US Treasury sanctions target Russia and its war machine, marking the highest number of restrictions imposed at once since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Biden administration implemented new trade restrictions on 93 entities from various countries for supporting Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

Putin ‘will pay an even steeper price’

The president mentioned in a statement on Friday: “The American people and people worldwide understand that the consequences of this conflict go beyond Ukraine.

“If Putin is not held accountable for his actions, he will continue. And the costs to the US, along with our Nato allies and partners in Europe and globally, will increase.”

In addition to those associated with Mr. Navalny, the US has also targeted “Russia’s financial sector, defence industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents,” according to President Biden.

The sanctions aim to increase the cost for Putin in terms of his actions abroad and domestically, he added.

EU sanctions

The EU’s measures target individuals and organizations suspected of undermining Ukraine, focusing on “members of the judiciary, local politicians and those responsible for the illegal deportation and military re-education of Ukrainian children.”

This brings the total number of EU-imposed sanctions on Russia to over 2,000, including some placed on Mr. Putin and his associates.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated that the 106 sanctions on individuals and 88 on “entities”, often companies, banks, government agencies, or other organizations, demonstrate the bloc’s commitment to weakening Russia’s military and supporting Ukraine’s legitimate defense.

Companies involved in the production of electronic components, which the EU suspects could have military applications, are among the 27 entities accused of “directly supporting Russia’s military and industrial complex in its aggressive war against Ukraine,” as mentioned in a statement.