WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated 14 persons in Russia’s military-industrial complex, including two international suppliers, three key leaders of Russia’s financial infrastructure, immediate family members of some of senior Russian officials, and 278 members of Russia’s legislature for enabling Russia’s sham referenda and attempt to annex sovereign Ukrainian territory. In addition, OFAC issued new guidance that warns of the heightened sanctions risk that international actors outside of Russia would face for providing political or economic support to Russia as a result of its illegal attempts to change the status of Ukrainian territory.
“We will not stand by as Putin fraudulently attempts to annex parts of Ukraine. The Treasury Department and U.S. government are taking sweeping action today to further weaken Russia’s already degraded military industrial complex and undermine its ability to wage its illegal war,” said Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen. “We are also targeting key leaders in Russia’s financial architecture as part of our aggressive and coordinated effort to hold Putin and his enablers accountable for his unprovoked invasion, and limit their ability to prop up their economy. The Treasury Department, U.S. government, and our allies will not hesitate to take swift and severe actions against individuals and companies inside and outside of Russia who are complicit in this war and these sham referendums.”
OFAC’s actions are taken in concert with additional actions by the Department of Commerce and the Department of State. The Department of Commerce is issuing a clear warning of the heightened risks of entities inside and outside of Russia becoming subject to U.S. export controls for supporting Russia’s military and is also adding 57 entities to the Entity List for violating U.S. export controls. State is imposing sanctions on family members of the U.S.-designated mayor of Moscow, who is also a member of Russia’s Security Council, and visa restrictions on Russian national Ochur-Suge Mongush for torturing a Ukrainian prisoner of war. The Department of State is also taking steps to impose visa restrictions on an additional 910 individuals, including members of the Russian Federation’s military, Belarusian military officials, and Russia’s proxies acting in Russia-held portions of Ukraine.
On September 23, G7 Leaders issued a statement condemning Russia’s sham referenda and noting their collective readiness to impose further economic costs on Russia, and on individuals and entities both inside and outside of Russia that provide political or economic support for Russia’s illegal attempts to change the status of Ukrainian territory. In support of this commitment, OFAC issued Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) 1091, which emphasizes that OFAC is prepared to more aggressively use its existing sanctions authorities, including E.O. 13660, E.O. 14024, and E.O. 14065, to target persons — inside or outside Russia — whose activities may constitute material assistance, sponsorship, or provision of financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services (together “material support”) to or in support of persons sanctioned pursuant to those Executive orders, or sanctionable activity related to Russia’s sham referenda, purported annexation, and continued occupation of the Kherson, Zaporizhzhya, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
In particular, OFAC will leverage existing authorities to target entities and individual jurisdictions outside Russia that provide political or economic support for Russia’s illegal attempt to annex Ukrainian sovereign territory, including for (i) providing material support for the organization of Russia’s sham referenda or purported annexation, as well as economic or other activity that seeks to legitimize Russia’s sham referenda or purported annexation; (ii) providing material support to Russia’s military and defense industrial base, including transactions by persons in third countries that provide material support to Russia’s military, defense industrial base, and designated entities and persons operating or that have operated in Russia’s defense industrial base; (iii) attempting to circumvent or evade U.S. sanctions on Russia and Belarus; and (iv) providing material support to Russian entities or individuals that are subject to certain blocking sanctions.
As noted in the FAQ, OFAC sanctions are not designed to target Ukraine or Ukrainians, including those living in areas occupied or purportedly annexed by Russia. Also as noted in the FAQ, OFAC will generally not impose sanctions on non-U.S. persons that engage in transactions that would be authorized for U.S. persons, such as certain energy-related transactions.
This measure is also being complemented by Commerce’s guidance on the heightened risks of entities inside and outside of Russia becoming subject to U.S. export controls for supporting Russia’s military. These measures are being driven in coordination with our allies and partners, including the European Union which announced it is developing new authorities to target the circumvention of sanctions. Collectively, these actions make it clear that the United States and its partners and allies will continue to hold actors around the world accountable for attempting to undercut our sanctions or support Russia’s malign activity.
OFAC is immediately implementing the G7 Leaders’ commitment and the new guidance outlined in FAQ 1091 by designating several international suppliers and associated individuals that have supported Russia’s defense sector. Through its historically unprecedented campaign of sanctions and export controls, the United States and an international coalition of allies and partners have devastated Russia’s ability to access foreign components and technology. As a result, Russia’s defense-industrial base is desperate to provision its war efforts and has resorted to third-country intermediaries and suppliers. Today’s action is also complemented by Commerce’s listing of 57 Russian entities on the Entity List for acquiring and attempting to acquire U.S.-origin items in support of the Russian military.
Today’s action includes additional designations against the network of Radioavtomatika, a U.S.- designated Russian defense procurement firm that specializes in procuring foreign items for Russia’s defense industry and continues its attempts to evade sanctions. Today’s designation of recently established front companies and foreign intermediaries highlights the U.S. government’s continuing efforts to impose costs upon global actors for their support to Russia’s defense sector.
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Ivanov (Ivanov), Sergey Vyacheslavovich Byzov (Byzov), and Dmitrii Vladimirovich Galin (Galin) are all Russia-based individuals who represented Radioavtomatika on its leadership team. Ivanov is the company’s general director, Byzov is the First Deputy General Director, and Galin is a Deputy General Director and a shareholder of the firm.
Ivanov, Byzov, and Galin were designated today pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being or having been leaders, officials, senior executive officers, or members of the boards of directors of Radioavtomatika, an entity whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024.
Novastream Limited (Novastream) is a Russian firm established in April 2022. Novastream was established in close coordination with Radioavtomatika officials and has supplied goods to Radioavtomatika. In fact, Novastream maintains the same address as a former Radioavtomatika representative office. Its General Director, Andrei Vladimirovich Khokhlov (Khokhlov), was previously a leader of Radioavtomatika and was specifically linked to one of its representative offices.
Novastream was designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Radioavtomatika. Khokhlov was designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of Novastream and for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of Radioavtomatika.
OFAC today also designated two third-country entities supporting Radioavtomatika. Sinno Electronics Co., Limited (Sinno), a People’s Republic of China supplier of Radioavtomatika, and Taco LLC (Taco), an Armenian supplier. Sinno, with awareness of restrictions on exports to Russia, has maintained a continuing relationship with Radioavtomaika before and after Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine. In June, Sinno was placed on Commerce’s Entity List for providing support to Russia’s military and/or defense industrial base and for continuing to contract to supply Russian entity listed and sanctioned parties after Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine. Radioavtomatika pays Taco for importing components and handling the procurement process within Armenia. Furthermore, both Sinno and Taco have interacted with each other in relation to their work with Radioavtomatika.
Both Sinno and Taco were designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of Radioavtomatika. Sinno was previously added to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List on June 28, 2022.
As part of its ongoing global efforts to target suppliers of Russia’s defense-industrial base, OFAC designated Open Joint Stock Company Svetlogorsk Khimvolokno (Sohim), which provides critical material to Russia’s defense industry. Sohim is a Belarusian state-owned textile and fiber manufacturer that exports to Russia.
Sohim was designated today pursuant to E.O. 14038 for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of Belarus.
Treasury additionally took action today against multiple firms determined to operate or have operated in the defense and related material sector and/or the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy.
Scientific-Technical Center for Electronic Warfare, also known as AO NTTs REB, engages in research and development for Russia’s Ministry of Defense. AO NTTs REB is involved in the development of an electronic warfare system used by drones in combat, which is used by Russia’s Armed Forces. In addition, OFAC today designated Aleksandr Pavlovich Sarkisyan (Sarkisyan), the General Director of AO NTTs REB. Sarkisyan previously worked at Rosoboroneksport OAO, another designated Russian defense firm.
Rotek Elpom (Rotek), creates the Raven-Black line of stationary and vehicular-mounted security systems that use a combination of acoustic, light, and infrasound technology to impact the nervous systems of its targets. Rotek’s products are used in the aviation and crowd control sectors.
ZAO NTTs Modul (Modul) produces computer equipment and software. Modul’s products are used in Russia’s aviation and space sectors.
OOO Valtex-ST (Valtex-ST) procures high technology scientific and industrial equipment on behalf of companies operating in Russia, including quantum optics instrumentation, high-purity gas generators, and electronic microscopy systems.
OAO Radioavionika (Radioavionika) produces various technological products, including for Russia’s Ministry of Defense. In particular, Radioavionika has developed a command-and-control system used by Russia’s soldiers.
AO NTTs REB, Rotek, Modul, Valtex-ST, and Radioavionika were designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy. AO NTTS REB and Radioavionika were additionally designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy. Sarkisyan was designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of AO NTTS REB. Radioavionika is also sanctioned by Canada.
In response to Russia’s February 2022 further invasion of Ukraine, the United States and an international coalition of allies and partners took swift action to restrict Russia’s access to global financial markets. In response, Russia has scrambled to find new ways to process payments and conduct transactions. Directly and indirectly, Russia’s financial technocrats have supported the Kremlin’s unprovoked war. Today’s actions target key figures who, through their top leadership positions, have personally enriched themselves while facilitating Putin’s war in Ukraine, actively undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and political independence of Ukraine.
Elvira Sakhipzadovna Nabiullina (Nabiullina) is the Governor of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (CBR), which is subject to an array of sanctions, and a former advisor to U.S.-designated Russian President Vladimir Putin (Putin). Since becoming the Governor of the CBR in 2013, she has overseen its efforts to protect the Kremlin from Western sanctions imposed as a response to Russia’s occupation of Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014 and further invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Nabiullina was designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of the Russian Federation (GoR). Australia and Canada have also imposed sanctions on Nabiullina.
Olga Nikolaevna Skorobogatova (Skorobogatova) is the First Deputy Governor of the CBR. In her role, Skorobogatova is responsible for the oversight of Russia’s Mir National Payment System and CBR’s operations in Russian and foreign financial markets. This designation builds on action OFAC took when it published FAQ 1082 to provide additional guidance on the heightened risk of facilitating Russia’s efforts to evade sanctions through the expanded use of the National Payment Card System or the Mir National Payment System, given the broad sanctions imposed on Russia’s financial system this year.
Skorobogatova was designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy, and for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the GoR.
Aleksandr Valentinovich Novak (Novak) is a Russian Deputy Prime Minister. Novak has held various roles in the GoR during his career and has been heavily involved in Russia’s efforts to increase its economic output abroad.
Novak was designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the GoR.
It is common for Russian politicians to camouflage their inordinate and unearned wealth by putting assets or property under the names of family members or other close associates. Therefore, to avoid sanctions evasion efforts by Russian elites, OFAC re-designated two of Russia’s top-ranking officials and their immediate family members as well as the immediate family members of several other top-ranking officials. OFAC will continue to aggressively target these proxies and expose the schemes by which Russian politicians hide their wealth.
Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu (Shoigu) was re-designated today after previously being designated on February 25, 2022, pursuant to E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the defense and related material sector of the Russian Federation economy. OFAC also designated Shoigu’s wife, Irina Aleksandrovna Shoigu (Irina), and adult daughters, Yuliya Sergeyevna Shoigu (Yuliya) and Kseniya Sergeyevna Shoigu (Kseniya). Yuliya works at Russia’s Ministry for Civil Defense, Emergencies, and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters, which her father previously ran for more than 20 years. Kseniya is a finance executive who has made tens of millions of dollars on state construction projects and has business interests directly tied to the Ministry of Defense.
Shoigu was designated today pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the GoR. Irina, Yuliya, and Kseniya were designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being a spouse or adult child of Shoigu. Shoigu has also been sanctioned by Australia, Canada, the European Union (EU), Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom (UK).
Russian National Guard head Viktor Vasiliyevich Zolotov (Zolotov) was re-designated today after previously being designated on March 15, 2022, pursuant to E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the defense and related material sector of the Russian Federation economy. Zolotov as also previously designated on April 6, 2018, pursuant to E.O. 13661 for being an official of the GoR. OFAC also designated Zolotov’s adult children Roman Viktorovich Zolotov (Roman) and Zhanna Viktorovna Zolotova (Zhanna) and son-in-law Yuriy Valeryevich Chechikhin (Chechikhin). Zolotov’s family collectively owns millions of dollars of real estate, and Roman, who earns a small salary at Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, owns a vacation home in the same south Russian town as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s palace.
Chechikhin is a business partner of U.S.-designated Russian oligarch Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska. OFAC also designated Obshchestvo s Ogranichennoi Otvetstvennostyu Markus (OOO Markus), a computer programming company in Moscow owned by Chechikhin.
Zolotov was designated today pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the GoR. Roman and Zhanna were designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being a spouse or adult child of Zolotov. Zolotov has also been sanctioned by Australia, Canada, the EU, Japan, New Zealand, and the UK.
Chechikhin and OOO Markus were designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy.
The Speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko (Matviyenko) was previously designated by OFAC on April 6, 2022, pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the GoR. On March 16, 2014, the President included Matviyenko in the Annex to E.O. 13661.Today, OFAC designated her son, St. Petersburg businessman Sergey Vladimirovich Matviyenko (Sergey).
Sergey was designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being a spouse or adult child of Matviyenko.
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin (Mishustin) was designated on April 6, 2022, pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the GoR. Today, OFAC designated his wife, Vladlena Yuryevna Mishustina (Vladlena), and two adult sons, Aleksey Mikhaylovich Mishustin (Aleksey) and Aleksandr Mikhaylovich Mishustin (Aleksandr). The Mishustin family owns $45 million worth of Moscow-area real estate, some of which are held in Aleksey and Aleksandr’s names. Aleksey and Aleksandr studied at an elite boarding school in Switzerland.
Vladlena, Aleksey, and Aleksandr were designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being a spouse or adult child of Mishustin.
Saint Petersburg Governor and Russian Security Council member Aleksandr Dmitrievich Beglov (Beglov) was designated on April 6, 2022, pursuant to E.O 14024 for being a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the GoR. Today, OFAC sanctioned his wife, Natalya Vladimirovna Beglova (Natalya), and daughters, Yuliya Aleksandrovna Belova (Belova) and Olga Aleksandrovna Beglova (Olga). Natalya is tied to suspicious financial behavior and Olga has been connected to relatives of U.S.-designated Russian oligarch Yuri Valentinovich Kovalchuk.
Natalya, Belova, and Olga were designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being a spouse or adult child of Beglov.
The Deputy Chairman of the Russian Federation Security Council, former Prime Minister, and former President Dmitry Anatolievich Medvedev (Medvedev) was previously designated on April 6, 2022, pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the GoR. Today OFAC designated his wife, Svetlana Vladimirovna Medvedeva (Svetlana), and adult son, Ilya Dmitrievich Medvedev (Ilya).
Svetlana and Ilya were designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being a spouse or adult child of Medvedev.
Today OFAC designated the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (Federation Council) pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the GoR.
Russia’s Federation Council voted unanimously in February 2022 to approve Putin’s request to send troops into Ukraine, which provided an unjustified pretext for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Federation Council members also approved a Russian law threatening prison time for those publishing what the Russian authorities consider to be false information about the country’s further invasion of Ukraine, which the Kremlin refers to as a “special military operation.”
While Ukraine and its Western allies have condemned the referenda in the Russian-controlled eastern and southern regions as illegitimate, the Chairwoman of the Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko, claimed in late September that they comply with international norms and the U.N. Charter.
On February 25, 2022, OFAC designated Matviyenko. Today, OFAC is designating all of Matviyenko’s 169 Federation Council colleagues pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being or having been leaders, officials, senior executive officers, or members of the board of directors of the GoR. These are:
OFAC previously designated ten of these members of the Federation Council, indicated above with an asterisk, pursuant to E.O. 13660 or E.O. 13661.
The EU and the UK have designated the majority of the above members of the Federation Council.
As part of its response over the last seven months to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine, OFAC designated the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation (State Duma) and 340 of its members who voted to recognize the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic earlier this year. The State Duma’s leadership has endorsed plans for these referenda, expressing support for alleged interest in such regions becoming part of Russia.
The members of the State Duma this year unanimously passed a law criminalizing the distribution of “fake news” about the Russian military. Russian media’s reporting on Russia’s war of choice in Ukraine is tightly monitored by Russian authorities. Some of Russia’s State Duma members have played a key role in spreading Russian disinformation about the war.
Today OFAC is designating the remaining 109 State Duma members pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being or having been leaders, officials, senior executive officers, or members of the board of directors of the Government of the Russian Federation. This action follows efforts by Russian occupying forces in eastern and southern Ukraine to call for referenda that would declare occupied territory as part of Russia.
OFAC has previously designated eight of these State Duma members, indicated above with an asterisk, pursuant to E.O. 13660, E.O. 13661, or E.O. 13581.
As a result of today’s designation, all property and interests in property of these persons located in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more in the aggregate by one or more of such persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons are prohibited, unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or otherwise exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
Identifying information on the individuals and entities sanctioned today.
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