The top US diplomat also said they were “taking action against major Russian defense entities, key advanced technology companies that support Russia’s defense industrial base and economic infrastructure,” as well as against a “Russian military intelligence agency and against people connected to . rights violations, both in the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine and within Russia itself.” The State Department sanctions were one of a series of actions the Biden administration took against Russia on Thursday. According to a State Department news release, the individuals sanctioned for their role in the grain theft had been appointed to leadership roles in some of the occupied regions of Ukraine. As CNN reported in May, Russian forces have stolen farm equipment and thousands of tons of grain from areas they hold.” The new sanctions come a week before the United Nations General Assembly, when the Biden administration is expected to urge world leaders — once again — to redouble their support during the global food crisis, which was sparked by partly from war in Ukraine. In addition to stealing Ukrainian grain, Russia also effectively prevented grain that was already ready to leave the country’s ports for months when the war began. In August, ships loaded with grain began leaving Ukraine’s Black Sea ports after an export deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, but the Biden administration continues to monitor the space closely. According to a newsletter, the sanctions targeted a Russian, Oleksandr Fedorovych Saulenko, who “was appointed mayor of Berdyansk by the government of Russia and had overseen the theft of hundreds of thousands of tons of Ukrainian grain through the port of Berdyansk.” The sanctions also hit Yevhen Vitaliiovych Balytskyi, who was “appointed head of the Zaporizhzhia military-political administration by the government of Russia and oversees the seizure of Ukrainian grain from the Zaporizhzhia region.” Andriy Leonidovich Siguta, who was “appointed head of the military-political administration of the Melitopol District by the government of Russia and oversees the seizure of Ukrainian grain from Melitopol.” Anton Viktorovich Koltsov, who “was appointed head of the military-political government in the Zaporizhzhia region and oversees the theft of Ukrainian grain.” and Valery Mykhailovych Pakhnyts, who was “appointed head of the Starobilsk district of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic by the government of Russia and oversees the theft of Ukrainian grain.” In addition to the grain theft sanctions, the State Department also sanctioned “three leading Russian military space entities that play central roles in strengthening Russia’s defense capabilities,” a number of entities in Russia’s technology and electronics sectors, and re-designated the Main Agency Russia’s Intelligence Directorate (GRU) More of the sanctions imposed Thursday are part of an effort to crack down on Russia’s defense industrial capabilities, going after the country’s high-tech industries and electronics companies. “Sophisticated electronics are used in many weapons systems operated by the Russian military, and Putin has publicly stated his concerns about Russia’s access to microelectronics after the start of Russia’s further, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. To further increase pressure in Russia’s electronics sector, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs designates several advanced Russian electronic entities,” the newsletter says. For example, one of the electronic companies they are now sanctioning is Joint Stock Company Research and Development Enterprise Radiosvyaz, which performs activities for Russia’s Defense Ministry, the State Department said. Separately, the Treasury Department sanctioned 22 individuals and two entities for their role in Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, both before and during the war. Among those sanctioned on Thursday are “Task Force Rusich, a neo-Nazi paramilitary group that has fought alongside the Russian military in Ukraine, as well as two of its senior leaders,” the finance ministry said in a statement. In addition, the sanctions target a Russian official who “has led Russia’s efforts to deport thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia.” The US is also redistributing Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Chechnya, along with three of his wives, three of his daughters and his cousin.
