U.S. sanctions not affecting MegaFon's ability to provide telecoms services - operator

MOSCOW. April 13 (Interfax) - The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (OFAC) has excluded the provision of communication services from sanctions restrictions on MegaFon , the operator's press service told Interfax.

On Wednesday, OFAC announced the inclusion of MegaFon, Metalloinvest and other USM group companies belonging to Alisher Usmanov and partners (including his Russian holding structure) in the U.S. sanctions list. OFAC issued licenses, traditional in such cases, to curtail operations with Metalloinvest and MegaFon for the period up to July 11, 2023.

As Megafon explained, General License No. 65 (GL 65), issued after the announcement of the sanctions, allows the operator to provide telecommunications services, as well as the export, re-export, sale or supply from the United States or by American persons of services, software, hardware or technologies for providing communication services via the Internet.

"The OFAC license issued after the announcement of the inclusion of our company in the sanctions list says that the restrictions imposed by the United States do not apply to us for any services in the field of providing communications and payments for them. This, in fact, suggests that the decision of the American regulator does not have a direct significant impact on our business, our subscribers and the services provided to them, including roaming services," the MegaFon press service said.

However, the operator still considers the very fact that the company was included in the "black" list unreasonable and illogical and intends to dispute it.