US expanded the list of sanctions against Russia

The US authorities intend to blacklist several Russian companies in connection with violating the law on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in relation to Iran, North Korea and Syria. The sanctions will affect five Russian companies, including Rosoboronexport.

The document prepared by the US State Department states that the sanctions will affect Rosoboronexport, the MiG corporation, the Tula Instrument Design Bureau, the Katod company, and the NPO Mashinostroeniya corporation. In addition, the restrictions automatically apply to their subsidiaries, as well as to any organizations that will act as their successors.

The document is available for viewing at Federal Register official websiteofficially it should be published on Wednesday.

In addition to Russian companies, the blacklist also included companies from China, North Korea, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Sudan, Iran and Turkey.

The specific reasons for which they were subject to sanctions are not specified.

According to the document, the structures and divisions of the US federal government are prohibited from carrying out contract operations on supplies or services with the persons in the list, it is forbidden to provide assistance through the US government and issue export licenses for trading operations.

Exceptions can be made only by decision of the US Secretary of State. All valid licenses are said to be suspended.

Sanctions will begin on Wednesday, 2 September.

Sutyagin: “The consequences can be unpleasant”

“Judging by which companies are on the blacklist, we are talking, first of all, about the supply of various types of weapons and technologies to Iran and Syria,” a senior researcher at the Royal United Defense Institute said in an interview with the BBC. research by Igor Sutyagin.

According to him, given the unfavorable relations between Russia and the United States, companies on the sanctions list may stay there for a long time.

“In order for them to leave, it is necessary for Russia to change its [foreign] policy, or for the United States to feel a very great need for these companies,” Sutyagin said, noting that now these companies are not of great interest to the United States, so they the chances of a quick exit from the sanctions list are very low.

“The consequences could be quite unpleasant if companies find themselves in the untouchable category,” says Sutyagin.

Old story

This is not the first time that Russian companies are subject to US sanctions in connection with a non-proliferation treaty.

In 2006, the United States imposed restrictions on Rosoboronexport and the Sukhoi company.

In 2007, Rosoboronexport, Tula Instrument Design Bureau and NPO Mashinostroeniya were sanctioned.

In both cases, the US State Department indicated that the companies were being blacklisted due to their cooperation with Iran. The sanctions were subsequently lifted.

The reaction of Russia

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow will take retaliatory measures to the new US sanctions. At the same time, as noted in the department, the response measures will not necessarily be “mirror”.

“The United States should have no illusions about the ability to continue this line without negative consequences for itself. Retaliatory measures, and not necessarily “mirror” ones, will follow on our part,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.