U.S. adds Russian Deputy PM Golikova, 8 ministers to sanctions list

WASHINGTON. Feb 27 (Interfax) - The U.S. Department of State announced on Friday the imposition of sanctions against a number of Russian ministers and governors, among them Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov and Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev.

According to the document published by the Department of State, sanctions will also apply to Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Alexander Kozlov, Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov, Labor Minister Anton Kotyakov, Civil Defense Minister Alexander Kurenkov, Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova and Sport Minister Oleg Matytsin.

Restrictions were imposed on journalist Olga Skabeyeva.

Pskov Governor Mikhail Vedernikov, Kemerovo Governor Sergei Tsivilev, Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov, Kurgan Governor Vadim Shumkov, Tver Governor Igor Rudenya, Buryatia head Alexei Tsydenov and some others are now under sanctions.

The Department of State also said that the United States was working on visa restrictions on 1,219 Russian servicemen over the situation in Ukraine.

It announced sanctions on a number of entities and companies, including the Russian Defense Ministry's Main Directorate for Deepwater Research, United Grain Company, the Dukhov All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Automation, the Pola Rise shipping company, and Argus Holding.

Sanctions also apply to the management company of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant and its head Oleg Romanenko.

In addition, the U.S. Department of the Treasury added 22 individuals and 83 entities to the sanctions list on Friday.

According to the Department of the Treasury, the list now includes investment companies, manufacturers or importers of high-tech equipment and carbon fibers, as well as aerospace, defense, technological and mining companies.

These include Veles Capital investment company, Rosatom's Umatex, Alabuga Volokno LLC, NIIGrafit, Iteranet, OKB Spectr, Tamimed supplier of medical equipment, Elara, Burevestnik Research Institute and others.

The sanctions apply to Alexander Udodov, a Russian businessman and former son-in-law of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and his companies, including Aforra Development, alongside Swiss businessman Walter Moretti, who, in the opinion of Washington, was helping Russia circumvent the sanctions.

Umatex, a Rosatom entity manufacturing carbon fibers, is also under U.S. restrictions, the Department of the Treasury said.

The department said that the Russian defense industry was the biggest consumer of carbon fibers and similar materials. "Umatex is Russia's largest producer of a wide range of carbon fibers and fiber-based items," it said.

Besides this company, the SDN list was expanded with its three subsidiaries: Czech-based Umatex Group Europe S.R.O. [according to the Unatex website, this trade house is a regular supplier of carbon products to various industries in Europe], Argon, which according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury makes materials for aircraft builders, and the Carbon and Composite Material Plant, which produces materials for the aerospace industry, according to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Umatex, formerly known as Khimpromengineering, a part of the Rosatom state corporation, is a major global manufacturer of a broad range of carbon fibers. It also provides engineering support to partners and conducts research and development. Back in December, the company purchased Russian assets of the U.S. building material manufacturer Owens Corning .

In addition, U.S. President Joe Biden ordered that a 200% import duty be imposed on Russian aluminum starting on March 10, 2023.

"Beginning on March 10, 2023, a 200% ad valorem tariff on aluminum articles that are the product of Russia and derivative aluminum articles that are the product of Russia," the White house said in a statement.

A 200% duty on products made of aluminum smelted or cast in Russia will take effect on April 10, 2023.

According to the statement, the U.S. administration is expecting these measures to support competition of U.S. aluminum manufacturers.

The United States imposed blocking sanctions on a number of financial institutions, including the Credit Bank of Moscow , Bank St. Petersburg, Uralsib , Zenit, and MTS Bank , the U.S. Department of the Treasury said.

Lanta Bank, Metallinvestbank, Levoberezhny and Primorye banks, SDM Bank and the Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development were also added to the SDN List.

The blocking sanctions apply to Zenit Finance, Zenit Leasing and Zenit Factoring MSP controlled by Zenit bank.

The SDN List includes Veles Capital investment company, an active member of Russia's domestic debt market, and a number of affiliated persons (Dmitry Bugayenko, Alexei Gnedovsky, Veles Asset, Veles Management, and Veles Trust).

Restrictions are imposed on a number of bankers specializing in private banking - Ulan Ilishkin, Yevgeniya Tyurikova and Alina Nazarova.