The EU on Oct. 5 approved a new sanctions package to target Russia for its war in Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced. The sanctions, which will take effect once they are published in the Official Journal of the EU, include a price cap on Russian oil and additional designations against Russian government officials (see 2209290025). The EU also will impose more trade restrictions on steel and technology products, Reuters reported.
Richard Lant, a Nevada resident, pleaded guilty on Oct. 3 to conspiracy to illegally export tank helmets to Iran, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California announced. From May to October 2015, Lant and other co-conspirators, including Dariush Niknia, who pleaded guilty in September, worked to illegally sell 500 of the Russian-made tank helmets to Niknia's Iranian customer. The helmets were made for Russian-made T-72S battle tanks and have a "five-pin plug" feature needed for compatibility with a tank communication device, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
The Bureau of Industry and Security this week renewed temporary denial orders for three Russian airlines accused of violating U.S. export controls against Russia. BIS first suspended the export privileges of Aeroflot, Azur Air and UTair in April, barring the airlines from participating in transactions with items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (see 2204070010). Despite the restrictions, BIS said all three airlines have continued to operate flights into and out of Russia. The orders were renewed for another 180 days from Oct. 3.
The U.K. imposed new sanctions pertaining to Russia's escalation of the conflict in Ukraine by annexing the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhiz, the government announced Sept. 30. The new restrictions include bans on export of services and the designation of Elvira Nabiullina, the governor of the Central Bank. The U.K. said Nabiullina "has been instrumental in steering the Russian economy" through the invasion of Ukraine by extending the ruble into Ukrainian lands occupied by Russia.
The U.S. Supreme Court in an Oct. 3 order denied Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska's petition for certiorari over his sanctions designation. The move comes shortly after he, along with his associates, were charged with conspiring to violate his sanctions listing. The court rejected the cert motion without issuing any further explanation.
Canada last week announced more sanctions against Russia after Moscow held “sham referendums” in an attempt to annex additional Ukrainian territories. The sanctions target 43 Russian oligarchs, “financial elites” and family members, as well as 35 Russian government officials. Canada also imposed restrictions on “certain business dealings,” including investment and export controls, involving the Russian occupied areas of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Australia announced new sanctions Oct. 2 on Russia for its war in Ukraine, including financial sanctions on an additional 28 people. Australia also said its ban on the import, purchase or transfer of Russian gold took effect Sept. 30 (see 2208150009). “These additional sanctions reinforce Australia's strong objection to the actions of President Putin and those carrying out his orders,” said Penny Wong, the country’s foreign affairs minister.
Exxon Mobil is urging the Biden administration not to place restrictions on fuel exports, saying the controls would hurt global supply and increase domestic gas prices, The Wall Street Journal reported Sept. 30. In a letter sent to the Energy Department last week, Exxon said fuel exports from the Gulf Coast are “essential to efficiently rebalance markets -- particularly with diverted Russian supplies,” adding that “[r]educing global supply by limiting U.S. exports to build region-specific inventory will only aggravate the global supply shortfall.” The energy company said fuel export restrictions won’t help fill tanks in U.S. regions that need more supplies, but would only “create a glut in the Gulf Coast that would lead refineries to cut output," the report said.
The U.S. last week announced a host of new sanctions and export controls against Russia, targeting Russian defense and technology companies, Russian government officials and various suppliers for supporting the country's military. The measures include hundreds of new designations and 57 additions to the Entity List, most of which will be subject to certain foreign direct product rule restrictions.
The U.K. amended seven entries under its Russia sanctions regime, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said in a Sept. 28 notice. The entries for Alexander Dmitrievich Kharichev, Denis Sergeevich Kurashov, Mikhail Valentinovich Kovalchuk, Iskander Kakhramonovich Makhmudov, Mikhail Leonidovich Rodikov, Oleksandr Saulenko and Andrey Veniaminovich Yarin were updated. The changes largely amounted to the spellings of the entries' names in Russian and dates of birth.