The Biden administration imposed a fresh slate of sanctions on more than 500 targets on Friday in response to the death of Russian opposition figure and outspoken Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny and Moscow’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The sanctions on the eve of Russia’s two-year war in Ukraine mark the latest move by the administration to levy consequences against Russia amid heightened tensions between the two countries. Friday’s announcement is the largest single day tranche of sanctions since Putin began his war against Ukraine two years ago and is part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to limit the Kremlin’s revenues and hamper Moscow’s ability to source materials for its war.
In addition to sanctions imposed by the US Treasury and State Departments, the administration also announced trade restrictions against more than 90 entities through the Department of Commerce.
“These sanctions will target individuals connected to Navalny’s imprisonment as well as Russia’s financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents,” President Joe Biden said in a statement Friday. “They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home.”
The sanctions package released Friday doesn’t directly sanction Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is already sanctioned, according to a Treasury official.
The US, along with other Western governments, has levied a series of sanctions against Russia in recent years, but Russia has adapted to them. Putin has taken to gloating about Russia’s resistance to international sanctions, which take time to have an effect.
US officials have acknowledged the importance of adjusting Western sanctions to keep up the…
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