August 3, 2022 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

The Pentagon has announced that the new $550 million package of military aid to Ukraine from the United States includes 75,000 155 mm shells and “additional shells” for the HIMARS systems.

July 2, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced an entry ban for 893 politicians and military personnel from russia who threaten or violate the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. Visa restrictions also apply to 31 representatives of foreign governments who “acted to support russia's occupation of Crimea in Ukraine and thereby threatened or violated the sovereignty of Ukraine”.

In his speech at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken criticized russia for the nuclear blackmail that the kremlin is resorting to during the full-scale war against Ukraine. He emphasized that the rf’s aggression against Ukraine is a flagrant violation of international law: “... these actions also contradict the guarantees that it (russia) provided to Ukraine in 1994 under the so-called Budapest Memorandum — guarantees of respect for sovereignty and independence Ukraine, who played an important role in making Ukraine decide to give up its nuclear arsenal inherited after the collapse of the USSR”.

August 2, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department once again expanded the “black list” of sanctioned persons from russia, finally adding alina kabaeva to it. A number of russian collaborators in the occupied territories were also sanctioned, including kirill streymousov, Kherson region’s gauleiter vladimir saldo, and the so-called “mayor” of Mariupol, konstantin ivashchenko. Restrictions have been imposed on the skolkovo foundation, institute and technopark, co-owner of fosagro andrey guriev, the magnitogorsk metallurgical plant and its owner viktor rashnikov, the former main co-owner of the pipe metallurgical plant dmitry pumpyanskyi, founder of evrokhim and suek andrei melnichenko, co-owner of sheremetyevo airport, aleksandr ponomarenko.

The US Department of Commerce has added 25 Airbus aircrafts used by russian airlines to the list of violators of export control measures. Those are the planes used by ural airlines, s7 airlines, red wings, yamal airlines, nordwind and i-fly. The USA has decided to deprive them of access to maintenance, refueling and the purchase of spare parts. The Department's head of export controls, Matthew Axelrod, has threatened organizations around the world with consequences from the USA if they continue to provide services as part of the maintenance of the listed Airbus planes.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Melanie Joly, has announced the introduction of additional sanctions over russia's illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. The new sanctions concern 43 military officials and 17 organizations.

Belgium has frozen 50.5 billion euros of funds belonging to people, companies and other legal entities that came under sanctions after russia's invasion of Ukraine. This €50.5 billion includes all types of financial assets, such as money and shares, held in Belgium and owned by 1,229 individuals and 110 other entities, such as russian politicians, oligarchs, banks and sanctioned companies.

sberbank – the largest russian bank, and vtb bank – one of the largest banks in russia, the main shareholder of which is the state, have been added to the list of the latest packages of sanctions.

President of Poland Andrzej Duda has said that Ukraine is protecting both his country and Germany now, while russia poses a threat to all of Europe.

Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz has denied reports that Germany has curtailed military aid to Ukraine, despite promises to the contrary. “While we are talking, Ukrainians are undergoing training on new and more advanced equipment in several locations in Germany. And we will continue to provide this support to Ukraine as long as it is necessary”, said Mr. Scholz.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden summoned the ambassador of the russian federation, among other things, over the information on the official website of the embassy, ​​where Swedes in the ranks of the Ukrainian army are threatened with execution.

The Finnish youth movement Kokoumusnuoret (“Nationalist Youth”) has bought a billboard at the Vaalimaa border crossing point and placed an advertisement there reminding of russia's military actions in Ukraine.

OSCE launches a new program to support Ukraine. “This program provides assistance to the authorities, society... We must respond to the growing risks for the civilian population as a result of the war by countering various armed measures, combating landmines or neutralizing the impact of war on women and children”, said Helga Schmid, the secretary general of the organization.

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In the russian federation, in the first half of 2022, the production of elevators decreased by 41% compared to the same period in 2021. This is due to the foreign manufacturers’ stopping work or withdrawal from the russian federation. Another reason is a reduction in the volume of construction in the country as a whole in the first half of the year due to a 30% decrease in the volume of funding for regional capital repair programs. American lift and escalator company Otis sold its russian business in July, leading to a shortage of high-speed lifts installed in skyscrapers.

According to the union of producers of soft drinks, this year in the rf there is a decrease in the production rate of packaged water, soft drinks, juices and herbal drinks. The union complains that against the background of trade restrictions and costs, beverage manufacturers have difficulties importing raw materials.

A court in London rejected the request of russian billionaire petr aven to unfreeze two accounts worth about 1.5 million pounds. The orders to freeze the accounts came after Britain's National Crime Agency received evidence that the accounts were being used on behalf of aven to buy and sell luxury cars and other transactions in breach of sanctions. The billionaire's monthly expenses are estimated at 140 thousand pounds. Under the sanctions imposed by Britain, aven can spend no more than 2.5 thousand pounds every month.

The G7 is considering options for limiting russia's earnings from oil exports. The G7 countries are studying the possibility of introducing a complete ban on all services that allow the transportation of russian marine oil and oil products around the world. An exception will be made for russian oil purchased at or below the price agreed with international partners.

The Finnish energy company Tampereen sähkölaitos has announced that it has stopped the supply of russian oil carried out by the company Teboil (owned by the russian company lukoil).

The Norwegian paint manufacturer Jotun, which closed its factory in the rf on March 3, has announced the sale of its business and exit from the country. Jotun has been in russia since 1989 and has its own production facilities since 2017. By the end of 2021, the company was working in all major parts of the country with a staff of more than 300 people.

The international TOEFL English language test, conducted by the ETS organization, is no longer available for russians. During the registration of citizens of the rf, a message appears on the exam website about the user-data non-compliance with the requirements of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Treasury Department (OFAC).