(Archived Content)
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 foundhere. These identifications will help the public more effectively comply with the sanctions on VEB and Rosneft.
For the identifying information related to today’s action, click here.
###