US cranks up pressure on Russia with 500 new curbs

Washington, February 23

US President Joe Biden on Friday announced Washington would issue more than 500 new sanctions targeting Russia as the United States seeks to increase pressure on Moscow to mark the second anniversary of its war in Ukraine.

Drone, missile attacks kill four in Ukraine

Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian regions in the south and east killed four persons on Thursday night and damaged residential and commercial buildings, officials said on Friday. Ukrainian air defence shot down 23 out of 31 Russian-launched drones over five regions.

EU imposes sanctions on 27 foreign companies

• The European Union on Friday announced that it is imposing sanctions on 27 foreign companies accused of “directly supporting Russia’s military and industrial complex in its war against Ukraine”
• The affected companies — some of them based in India, Sri Lanka and China — are primarily into making electronic components. These now face tougher export restrictions.

The United States will also impose new export restrictions on nearly 100 entities for providing support to Russia and take action to further reduce Russia’s energy revenues, Biden said in a statement. The measures seek to hold Russia to account over the war and the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny,

Biden said, as Washington looks to continue to support Ukraine even as it faces acute shortages of ammunition and US military aid has been delayed for months in Congress. “They will ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home,” Biden said of the sanctions. Friday’s measures will target individuals connected to Navalny’s imprisonment as well as Russia’s financial sector, defence industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents, he said. The sanctions are the latest of thousands of targets announced by the US and its allies following Russia’s February 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine.

“Ukraine needs more supplies from the US to hold the line against Russia’s relentless attacks. “That’s why the House of Representatives must pass the national security supplemental Bill, before it’s too late,” Biden said. — Agencies

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