The U.S. on Thursday sanctioned more than 150 businesses and individuals in Russia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Georgia to try to crack down on evasion of trade restrictions aimed at blocking funding for Russia’s 19-month war against Ukraine.
The newest sanctions package is one of the biggest imposed by the State Department and the U.S. Treasury. It targets those who are selling Western technology to Moscow to aid its war effort, particularly businesses and people in Turkey, a member of the Western military pact that is allied in support of Ukraine.
The sanctions, which block any assets the businesses and individuals might have in the U.S., are also aimed at hobbling the development of Russia’s energy sector that provides war funding, including Arctic natural gas projects, along with mining and factories producing and repairing Russian weapons.
In addition, the U.S. package targets several Turkish and Russian companies that the State Department says help Moscow source U.S. and European electronic components — such as computer chips and processors — that can be used in civilian and military equipment.
The State Department also is targeting Turkish companies that have provided ship repair services to a company affiliated with Russia’s Defense Ministry.