Transnational criminals: US imposes sanctions on Wagner group

The new sanctions list of the Ministry of Finance includes 6 natural persons and 12 legal entities connected with mercenaries and the Russian military-industrial complex. Some companies provided the militants with satellite images of the war in Ukraine.

On January 26, the United States expanded sanctions against legal entities and individuals from Russia. This was reported by the press service of the US Department of the Treasury.

The agency said the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control was taking additional steps to undermine Russia’s ability to fight Ukraine.

The U.S. Treasury included 6 individuals and 12 legal entities on its sanctions list. Ship repair enterprises, structures and persons connected with the Russian “Wagner group” and its head, Yevgeny Prigozhin, were subject to restrictions.

The Kremlin is desperately seeking arms and support to continue its tough war against Ukraine, including the Wagner Group. Sanctions imposed today on the militants of its partners and other companies supporting the Russian military complex will further hamper Vladimir Putin’s ability to arm and equip Russia. “It’s a military vehicle,” said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

US sanctions against the “Wagner group” – who is on the list?

The US Treasury stated that Russian mercenaries from the “Wagner Group” are members of a large transnational criminal organization and consistently commit serious crimes.

The published list includes: The following individuals and organizations associated with mercenaries:

  • JSC “Terra-Tech” is a company that provides aerial photographs taken using unmanned systems, as well as images from commercial satellites.
  • Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute is a Chinese company that provides Terra-Tech with synthetic aperture radars at points in Ukraine. The paintings made it possible for the “Wagnerians” to conduct military operations in Ukraine.
  • BARL Research and Production Concern (BARL JSC) is a Russian space company that provides Russia’s military activities in Ukraine. The company’s specialists shared Russian military images from foreign high-resolution satellites.
  • Sewa Security Services (Sewa) is a Central African Republic-based security company controlled by the Wagner Group that provides protection to senior government officials.
  • The International Union of Security Officers and its director, Alexander Ivanov, is a front organization controlled by mercenaries and operating in the Central African Republic.
  • Kratol Aviation is an airline from the UAE. The Wagner Group uses its aircraft to transport personnel and equipment to the Central African Republic, Libya and Mali.
  • Valery Zakharov is an employee of the Wagner group, who serves as the national security adviser to the President of the Central African Republic. While advising its president on security issues, he influenced the strategic direction of the “Wagnerians” in the Central African Republic.

The sanctions also affected 7 companies from the Russian military-industrial complex – the Almaz-Antey concern, the chief executive officer Yan Novikov, the owner of the Kalashnikov concern Alan Lushnikov, the Ural Civil Aviation Factory, etc.

US sanctions on Russia – Russian officials were subject to restrictions

The full list of sanctions includes: several Russian officials:

  • Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov;
  • Arkady Gostev, Director of the Federal Penitentiary Service;
  • Tatarstan president Rustam Minnikhanov and his wife Gulsina Minnikhanova;
  • Dmitry Bezrukikh, head of the Rostov Department of the Federal Penitentiary Service;
  • Andrey Burov, chairman of the Rostov region electoral commission;
  • Alexander Kharichev, Head of the Russian Presidential Administration for Supporting the Activities of the State Council;
  • Boris Rapoport, director of the government office responsible for the creation of the “Open Government” system;
  • Sergei Batekhin, Member of the Board of Directors of Norilsk Nickel.

Recall that on January 24, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine pointed to the devastating impact of Western sanctions on the space sector of the Russian Federation. Some enterprises cannot cope with the production of new developments due to the acute shortage of electronic components.

US officials had previously reported that tensions between the Russian Ministry of Defense and Wagner escalated as Russian President Vladimir Putin began to rely more on mercenaries in the conflict in Ukraine.

About 50,000 Wagner fighters are deployed in Ukraine, said John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council. Among them are 10,000 contract soldiers and 40,000 convicts.

Source: Focus

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest