US Imposes Sanctions on Russia over Annexation of Swath of Ukraine

President Joe Biden speaks about Hurricane Ian during a visit to FEMA headquarters, Sept. 29, 2022, in Washington. (AP)
President Joe Biden speaks about Hurricane Ian during a visit to FEMA headquarters, Sept. 29, 2022, in Washington. (AP)
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US Imposes Sanctions on Russia over Annexation of Swath of Ukraine

President Joe Biden speaks about Hurricane Ian during a visit to FEMA headquarters, Sept. 29, 2022, in Washington. (AP)
President Joe Biden speaks about Hurricane Ian during a visit to FEMA headquarters, Sept. 29, 2022, in Washington. (AP)

The United States on Friday imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia over its declared annexation of a swath of Ukraine, targeting hundreds of people and companies, including those in Russia's military-industrial complex and lawmakers.

Washington acted after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday proclaimed the biggest annexation in Europe since World War Two, declaring Russian rule over 15% of Ukraine.

"We will rally the international community to both denounce these moves and to hold Russia accountable. We will continue to provide Ukraine with the equipment it needs to defend itself, undeterred by Russia’s brazen effort to redraw the borders of its neighbor," US President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Russia's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Guidance from the US Treasury and the Commerce Department warned that anyone outside Russia, including companies, that provide political, economic or material support to Moscow faced a heightened risk of sanctions.

The Treasury sanctions generally freeze any US assets of those designated and bar Americans from dealing with them.

Commerce added 57 entities in Russia and Crimea to its US export blacklist.

Treasury said it imposed sanctions on 14 people in Russia's military-industrial complex, two leaders of the country's central bank, family members of top officials and 278 members of Russia's legislature "for enabling Russia's sham referenda and attempt to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory."

Among those designated was Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak; 109 State Duma members; the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia and 169 of its members; and the governor of the Central Bank of Russia, Elvira Nabiullina.

Among the targets related to Russia's defense procurement was a Chinese supplier the Treasury accused of supporting Radioavtomatika, a US-designated Russian defense procurement firm.

Washington said Sinno Electronics Co Ltd, previously placed on the Commerce Department's entity list, maintained a relationship with the Russian firm even after the invasion of Ukraine.

Sinno did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Taco LLC in Armenia; Russia's Novastream Limited; a Belarusian state-owned supplier, and Russian technology and defense firms were among other companies designated over Russia's defense procurement.

Family members

Treasury also designated family members of Russia’s National Security Council, such as Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin’s wife and two adult children, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s wife and adult children and National Guard head Viktor Zolotov’s wife and adult children.

In addition, the immediate family members of the deputy chairman of Russia’s Federation Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko, and Saint Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov were hit with sanctions.

The US State Department in a separate statement said it imposed visa restrictions on more than 900 people, including members of the Russian and Belarusian military and "Russia’s proxies for violating Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence," barring them from traveling to the United States.

The United States singled out a Russian national, Ochur-Suge Mongush, for his involvement in what US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called "a gross violation of human rights perpetrated against a Ukrainian prisoner of war," and said Mongush and his immediate family members cannot enter the United States.

Canada also announced on Friday measures against dozens of oligarchs, financial elites and their family members, plus 35 Russian-backed senior officials in the regions where the referendums took place.

Washington's targets are largely proportionate to Russia's annexation, said Brian O'Toole, a former Treasury official now with the Atlantic Council think tank.

The action against Sinno Electronics serves as a warning to other Chinese companies and those that might do business with Russia, he said.

"I'm impressed at how robust this is given that this was a relatively short turnaround," O'Toole said.

Russia declared the annexations on Friday after holding what it called referendums in occupied areas of Ukraine. Western governments and Kyiv said the votes breached international law and were coercive and non-representative.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday about their "shared concern" over the Russian annexation and the need to protect critical infrastructure after the apparent sabotage of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the United States said.



The Chinese President's Envoy Meets with Vance and Musk on the Eve of Trump's Inauguration

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attends a meeting with Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China January 11, 2025. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Pool/File Photo
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attends a meeting with Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China January 11, 2025. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Pool/File Photo
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The Chinese President's Envoy Meets with Vance and Musk on the Eve of Trump's Inauguration

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attends a meeting with Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China January 11, 2025. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Pool/File Photo
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attends a meeting with Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves (not pictured) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China January 11, 2025. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Pool/File Photo

China's vice president held meetings with the US vice president-elect and US business leaders, including Elon Musk, in Washington on the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration, as the two major powers tackle ongoing tensions over trade and technology.
Han Zheng, who serves as an envoy for Chinese President Xi Jinping at the inauguration, “discussed a range of topics including fentanyl, balancing trade and regional stability” with J.D. Vance, according to the Trump transition team, The Associated Press said.
Han stressed the “extensive common interests and enormous space of cooperation” the United States and China share in economic and trade relations despite “some disagreements and frictions,” according to a readout of his meeting with Vance issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday.
Trump has threatened to impose tariffs and other measures against China in his second term, while also hinting at ways in which the two rival powers could cooperate on issues such as regional conflicts and curbing the export of substances used in the production of fentanyl.
In an unorthodox move, Trump last month invited Xi to his inauguration. No head of state has previously made an official visit to the US for the inauguration, according to State Department historical records.
While Xi will not personally attend the event, he and Trump held a phone call on Friday during which they discussed trade, fentanyl and TikTok. The Chinese social media app restored service to users in the US on Sunday, just hours after it went dark in response to a federal ban, which Trump said he would pause by executive order on Monday.
Han also met with Musk and other top US business executives, including representatives of the US-China Business Council and the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
The Chinese vice president reiterated promises for an improved business environment for foreign firms in China and expressed hopes that US companies will continue expanding investment in the country.
Musk, whose company Tesla operates a factory in Shanghai, posted on his platform X after the meeting that he has long opposed the TikTok ban “because it goes against freedom of speech.”
“That said, the current situation where TikTok is allowed to operate in America, but X is not allowed to operate in China is unbalanced,” he wrote. “Something needs to change.”
X is banned in China alongside other major US social media and news apps and websites, including YouTube, Google, Facebook and many major US media.