Biden’s New Anti-Russia Sanctions Blitz Puts India & Others On Notice

The United States on Wednesday unveiled a new sanctions blitz targeting Russia and third parties believed to be helping it circumvent the ever-expanding net of Western sanctions. The US is trying to disrupt supplies of technological and industrial parts and components aiding the Russian war machine and defense sector.

The fresh US Treasury and State Department action lists nearly 400 new entities and people spanning more than a dozen countries. It is being described as the “most concerted push so far against third-country evasion,” the State Dept. said.

“This should send a serious message to both the governments and the private sectors of these countries that the U.S. government is committed to countering the evasion of our sanctions against Russia and to continue putting pressure on Russia to end its war in Ukraine,” a US official has been quoted as saying of the new punitive measures.

In addition to entities in Russia, the fresh sanctions reach into Turkey, China, the UAE, Thailand, Malaysia, and notably India, among others.

“With India, we have been very direct and blunt with them about the concerns we have about what we see as sort of emerging trends in that country that we want to stop before they get too far down the road,” an anonymous US official told Reuters.

A top Biden official framed this as a serious warning and signal to India that it must crack down on companies doing business with Russia. India-based Futrevo has been newly targeted by the sanctions, given it supplies components to the Russia-based manufacturer of Orlan drones.

“The United States and our allies will continue to take decisive action across the globe to stop the flow of critical tools and technologies that Russia needs to wage its illegal and immoral war against Ukraine,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo announced.

Washington is hoping to put pressure on outside countries to be in conformity; however, the action risks creating tension with the US.

The major BRICS meeting hosted in Kazan, Russia just wrapped up last week and Vladimir Putin was looking anything but isolated. This included warm moments, and a literal embrace, between the Russian president and India’s Narendra Modi.

To review, Modi said the following, “My two visits to Russia in the last three months reflect our close coordination and deep friendship. Our Annual Summit in Moscow in July has strengthened our cooperation in every field…In 15 years, the BRICS has created its special identity and now many countries of the world want to join it.” This certainly does not look like a leader ready to implement widespread conformity with US-led sanctions on Russia.