Action Targets Former Yanukovych Regime Officials,
Close Associates, and Crimean Entities; Underscores U.S. Commitment to Maintain
the Strength of Existing Sanctions and the Unity of the International Coalition
Concerned About Russia’s Activities in Ukraine
WASHINGTON – To ensure the
efficacy of existing sanctions, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of
Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated and identified a range of
individuals and entities under four executive orders (E.O.s) related to Russia
and Ukraine. Today’s action is designed to counter attempts to circumvent
our sanctions, to further align U.S. measures with those of our international
partners, and to provide additional information to assist the private sector
with sanctions compliance.
“Today’s action underscores our resolve to maintain pressure on Russia for
violating international law and fueling the conflict in eastern Ukraine,” said
Acting OFAC Director John E. Smith. “Our message is clear: we will
continue to act to ensure the effectiveness of our sanctions, which will not be
rolled back until the Minsk Agreements are fully implemented.”
In today’s action, OFAC designated 13 individuals and entities that have
supported serious and sustained evasion of existing sanctions, two entities
that operate in the arms or related materiel sector of the Russian Federation,
four former Ukrainian government officials or close associates for being
complicit in the misappropriation of public assets and/or undermining of
democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine as well as an entity owned or
controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, one of the designated
individuals, five Crimean port operators, and one Crimean ferry operator.
OFAC also identified several subsidiaries that are owned 50 percent or more by
Vnesheconombank (VEB) and Rosneft.
Today’s steps are consistent with the U.S. commitment to seek a diplomatic
resolution to the crisis in Ukraine by maintaining our sanctions on Russia,
which will not be rolled back until the Minsk Agreements are fully
implemented. This follows an EU action last month to extend its sanctions
on Russia and Canada’s announcement also last month to supplement its own
sanctions on Russia.
Designations Regarding Sanctions Evasion and the Defense Sector (E.O.
13661)
Today’s action targets 15 individuals and entities pursuant to E.O. 13661,
which authorizes sanctions on, among others, any individual or entity that is
owned or controlled by, or that has supported, an individual or entity
previously designated under this E.O. or a senior Russian government official,
and on any person operating in the arms or related materiel sector in the
Russian Federation. Thirteen of these targets are linked to serious and
sustained sanctions evasion by designated persons Gennady Timchenko, Boris
Rotenberg, and Kalashnikov Concern. Additionally, two entities were
designated for operating in the arms or related materiel sector in the Russian
Federation.
The following eight of these individuals and entities are linked to the
provision of material support to the previously designated Gennady Timchenko:
Airfix Aviation Oy, IPP Oil Products (Cyprus) Limited, Kai Paananen, Oleg
Usachev, Petr Kolbin, Set Petrochemicals Oy, Southport Management Services
Limited, and Southeast Trading Oy. Oy Langvik Capital Ltd. and Roman
Rotenberg are linked to the provision of material support to the previously
designated Boris Rotenberg. Aleksander Omelchenko, Andrey Bulyutin, and
Olena Yurevna Semenova are linked to the provision of material support to the
previously designated Kalashnikov Concern. Izhevsky Mekhanichesky Zavod
JSC (AKA Baikal) and Open Joint Stock Company Kontsern Izhmash are also linked
to the previously designated Kalashnikov Concern and are being designated
because they operate in the arms or related materiel sector in the Russian
Federation.
Designations Regarding Former Yanukovych Officials, Close Associates, and a
Related Entity (E.O. 13660)
OFAC also designated today four former Yanukovych regime officials and
close associates, who are already on the EU sanctions list, pursuant to E.O.
13660, which authorizes sanctions against those contributing to the current
situation in Ukraine, including the misappropriation of public assets and the
undermining of democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine. They are
Andriy Petrovych Klyuyev, Sergey Vitalievich Kurchenko, Eduard Anatoliyovych
Stavytsky, and Oleksandr Viktorovych Yanukovych. Today’s action supports
the Ukrainian government’s efforts to target the misappropriation of state
assets and demonstrates that the United States will continue to coordinate with
the EU on its sanctions lists to the extent possibl
e.
Andriy Petrovych Klyuyev is being designated because he is responsible for
or complicit in, or has engaged in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies
that undermine democratic processes or institutions in Ukraine. Sergey
Vitalievich Kurchenko, Eduard Anatoliyovych Stavytsky, and Oleksandr
Viktorovych Yanukovych are being designated because they are responsible for or
complicit in, or have engaged in, directly or indirectly, misappropriation of
state assets of Ukraine or of an economically significant entity in Ukraine.
Also designated under E.O. 13660 is Private Joint-Stock Company Mako
Holding because it is owned or controlled by, or has acted or purported to act
for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Oleksandr Yanukovych.
Designations Regarding Crimean Entities (E.O. 13685)
OFAC also designated five Crimean port operators and one sea ferry operator
– State Enterprise Kerch Sea Commercial Port, State Enterprise Sevastopol Sea
Trading Port, State Enterprise Feodosia Sea Trading Port, State Enterprise
Evpatoria Sea Commercial Port, State Enterprise Yalta Sea Trading Port, and
State Shipping Company Kerch Sea Ferry – pursuant to E.O. 13685. E.O.
13685 authorizes sanctions on any person determined to be operating in the
Crimea region of Ukraine, to be a leader of an entity operating in the Crimea
region of Ukraine, or to be owned or controlled by, or to have provided
material support for, any person designated under this E.O.
All six targets are being designated because they operate in the Crimea
region of Ukraine. Under existing U.S. and EU sanctions, U.S. and EU
persons are already broadly prohibited from trading with or investing in
Crimea, and three of the six port operators – State Enterprise Kerch Sea
Commercial Port, State Enterprise Sevastopol Sea Trading Port, and State
Shipping Company Kerch Sea Ferry – were previously designated by the EU.
Today’s action, which blocks any of their assets in or coming under U.S.
jurisdiction and generally prohibits U.S. persons from dealing with them,
underscores our commitment to opposing Russia’s occupation and attempted
annexation of Crimea.
Identifications Under the Sectoral Sanctions Identification List (pursuant
to E.O. 13662)
Today, OFAC also identified a number of subsidiaries of VEB and Rosneft as
being owned 50 percent or more by their respective parent entities, both of
which were previously sanctioned pursuant to E.O. 13662 in July 2014.
These entities were already subject as a matter of law to the same financing
restrictions as their parent entities per OFAC’s 50 percent rule guidance,
which can be found here. These identifications will help the public more effectively comply
with the sanctions on VEB and Rosneft.
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