U.S. imposes sanctions on 27 Gazprombank executives, Russian TV stations

div classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivpBy Jeff Mason and Steve Hollandp

pWILMINGTON, Del. Reuters – The United States on Sunday unveiled sanctions against three Russian television stations, banned Americans from providing accounting and consulting services to Russians, and sanctioned executives from Gazprombank to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.pdivdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodiv

pThe new sanctions are the latest effort by the United States to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin after his countrys assault on Ukraine and came as President Joe Biden met virtually with G7 leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to discuss the war.p

pThe measures leveled against Gazprombank executives were the first involving the giant Russian gas exporter as the United States and its allies have avoided taking steps that might lead to disruptions of gas to Europe, Russias main customer.p

p“This is not a full block. We‘re not freezing the assets of Gazprombank or prohibiting any transactions with Gazprombank,” a senior Biden administration official told reporters. “What we’re signaling is that Gazprombank is not a safe haven, and so were sanctioning some of their top business executives … to create a chilling effect.”p

pEight executives from Sberbank, which holds onethird of Russias banking assets, were added to the sanctions list. Moscow Industrial Bank and its 10 subsidiaries were also added. p

pThe new export control restrictions were aimed at directly degrading Putins war effort, including controls on industrial engines, bulldozers, wood products, motors, and fans. The European Union is moving in tandem with additional controls on chemicals that feed directly into the Russian military effort, the official said.p

pRussia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbors military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists. Ukraine and its allies say Russia launched an unprovoked war.p

pLimited Liability Company Promtekhnologiya, a weapons maker, was sanctioned, along with seven shipping companies and a marine towing company. The White House also said the Nuclear Regulatory Commission would suspend licenses for exports of special nuclear material to Russia. p

pThe sanctioned television stations are directly or indirectly statecontrolled, the White House said, and included Joint Stock Company Channel One Russia, Television Station Russia1, and Joint Stock Company NTV Broadcasting Company.p

pAmericans will be prohibited from providing accounting, trust and corporate formation, and management consulting services to Russians, though providing legal services is still permissible.p

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pp Reporting by Jeff Mason and Steve Holland Editing by Lisa Shumakerp

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