US sanctions major Russian state-owned firms; vows to 'keep raising cost for Putin's war'

As Washington continues to ramp up measures against Russia’s military aggression, United States has added eight Russians along with 29 organisations to sanctions list. list included “world’s largest diamond mining company” -- Alrosa -- which US Treasury Department said is responsible for 90% of Russia’s capacity. However, US Treasury Department said that it exempted telecommunications and internet equipment from sanctions against Russia.

In a statement published late Thursday, US President Joe Biden’s administration said that apart from Alrosa, it sanctioned Joint Stock Company United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), its subsidiaries and board members. According to Brian Nelson, Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, sanctions against Russian organisations “will continue to apply pressure to key entities that enable and fund Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine”.

“se actions, taken with Department of State and in coordination with our allies and partners, reflect our continued effort to restrict Kremlin’s access to assets, resources, and sectors of ecomy that are essential to supplying and financing Putin’s brutality,” Nelson added.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said on Thursday that Washington blocked Alrosa and USC which are involved in war in Ukraine. He ted, "USC is one of Russia’s largest state-owned enterprises, and it developed and constructed warships that have bombarded Ukraine’s cities" while adding, "Alrosa is a diamond-mining company, controlled by Russian government, proceeds of which help to finance Russian government’s war and atrocities against Ukraine."

Zelenskyy called for more sanctions against Russia

US’ additional sanctions on world’s largest diamond mining company on Thursday came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for “powerful sanctions” against Russia in an exclusive interview with Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami. In a mess to world, Zelenskyy ted that “half measures” will t work and said, “Do t pretend as if you're trying to support Ukraine but don't want to lose all ecomic relations with Russia. Half measures won't work”.

Ukrainian President told Arnab, “Sanctions would be like weapons, sanctions should be like nuclear weapons, sanctions are like modern state of art weapons...Impose all sanctions, powerful sanctions...Do t pretend you are trying to support Ukraine, but continue ecomic relations with Russia.”

From saying Kyiv is 'ready to withdraw' to positions before February 24 to taunting United Nations (UN), Zelenskyy also spoke about a range of issues with Goswami. Starting off by thanking Republic for opportunity to “talk to ordinary people through channel", Zelenskyy averred that he has “ or willingness but to put an end” to war which started on February 24. 

In late February, Russian President Vladimir Putin anunced what he called a ‘special’ military operation, which according to Zelenskyy’s government, became a “gecide”. 

Im: AP