The U.K. plans to update its export control regime to better restrict sensitive technology transfers and streamline flows of defense goods to close allies, the country said in a joint declaration with the U.S. released last week. The U.K. also said it’s planning to study how it can “respond effectively” to risks posed by outbound investments as the U.S. prepares to launch its own outbound screening mechanism (see 2305310075).
The Bureau of Industry and Security last week suspended export privileges of Aratos Group, a collection of defense and technology companies in the Netherlands and Greece, and its owner for procuring goods for Russian intelligence services in violation of U.S. export controls. BIS also renewed a temporary denial order against three people and two companies also involved in a Russian sanctions evasion scheme.
The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation updated two General Licenses under its Russia sanctions regimes, one covering London Court of International Arbitration payments and the other on transactions linked to agricultural commodities, including the provision of insurance and other services.
The EU imposed sanctions on nine people under its Global Human Rights sanctions regime for their role in sentencing Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison "on politically motivated charges and false allegations," the European Council announced. The individuals include the Russian Deputy Minister of Justice for enforcing Russia's "foreign agents" legislation used to crack down on civil society, judges and a senior officer of the Russian penitentiary system.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned seven members of a “malign influence group” with ties to Russian government intelligence. The designations target Konstantin Prokopyevich Sapozhnikov, Yury Yuryevich Makolov, Gleb Maksimovich Khloponin, Svetlana Andreyevna Boyko, Aleksey Vyacheslavovich Losev, Vasily Viktorovich Gromovikov and Anna Travnikova, all of whom are involved in efforts to “destabilize” the Moldovan government. OFAC also sanctioned Perko Julleuchter, a workshop that produces ceramic lanterns, which is owned by Losev.
Lithuanian authorities submitted evidence against nine Lithuanian companies showing the businesses violated EU sanctions by declaring that Russian and Belarusian imports of plywood, pellets and other timber products were from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project recently reported. The evidence resulted from an OCCRP investigation concluded in December 2022, which led to a separate investigation from the Lithuanian State Consumer Rights Protection Authority. OCCRP expects that the number of companies accused of evading sanctions will increase since many of them are "evading SCRPA's request to provide information about their activities."
The Office of Foreign Assets Control published previously issued general licenses, a sectoral determination and a directive under its Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions Regulations. Each notice includes the full text of the licenses, determination and directive.
The U.K. added one name to its Somalia sanctions list and amended two others under its Russia sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said. OFSI added Abdullahi Osman Mohamed Caddow to its Somalia list and revised the listings for Russian businessmen Vladimir Nikolaevich Lepin and Dmitry Vladimirovich Konov.
The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation published a blog post with guidance on how to navigate its trust services sanctions (see 2303220021), covering where the sanctions apply, key exceptions, OFSI's enforcement powers and licensing. Under the key exceptions guidance, OFSI said sanctions do not apply for acts "for the purposes of complying with the prohibitions and obligations of an asset freeze," and for trust services "provided in respect of registered pension schemes, where these services are not provided primarily to, or for the benefit of, a designated person" or persons connected with Russia.
Canada this week sanctioned seven people and one entity in Moldova for acting as “Russian collaborators,” including Moldovan oligarchs, business people, parliamentarians and politicians. Also designated was the Shor Party, a political party “closely connected” to Ilan Mironovich Shor -- who is also being sanctioned -- and which works to “destabilize Moldova’s democratically elected government in favour of Russia.” The designations follow similar sanctions by the EU (see 2305310036).