U.S. slams sanctions on Russia's sovereign debt
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Russia's sovereign debt, which will take effect on June 14, the White House said in a statement released Thursday.
U.S. financial institutions are prohibited “from participation in the primary market for ruble or non-ruble denominated bonds issued after June 14, 2021 by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, or the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation; and lending ruble or non-ruble denominated funds to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, the National Wealth Fund of the Russian Federation, or the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. This directive provides authority for the U.S. government to expand sovereign debt sanctions on Russia as appropriate”.
The new measures are intended to make Russia pay for "the actions of its government and intelligence agencies against the sovereignty and national interests of the United States," according to a White House release.
" This includes, in particular, efforts to undermine the conduct of free and fair democratic elections and democratic institutions in the United States and its allies and partners; engage in and facilitate malicious cyber activities against the United States and its allies and partners; foster and use transnational corruption to influence foreign governments; pursue extraterritorial activities targeting dissidents or journalists; undermine security in countries and regions important to United States national security; and violate well-established principles of international law, including respect for the territorial integrity of state,” the White House said.
In addition to the measures against the national debt, sanctions are imposed on 16 individuals and 16 entities that, according to U.S. data, tried to influence the U.S. presidential election in 2020.
Washington also expels 10 Russian diplomats, including those suspected of working for the Russian intelligence, and also blacklists six Russian companies cooperating with Russian intelligence agencies.
These are ERA Technopolis, JSC Pasit, Research Institute of Specialized Computing Security and Automation Devices, Neoit LLC, JSC Advanced System Technologies and JSC Positiv Technologies.