U.S. Department of the Treasury: anyone can be sanctioned for working with the Russian fuel and energy sector

TheUnited States has changed its sanctions policy, starting to impose restrictions against anyone associated with Russia's energy sector. This was announced on Friday, January 10, in a statement published on the website of the US Treasury Department.

"Treasury Secretary [Janet Yellen], in consultation with Secretary of State [Anthony Blinken], issued a decision pursuant to an executive order issued by President [Joe Biden] that authorizes the imposition of sanctions on any individual if it is determined that he or she is or has been working in the energy sector of the Russian Federation's economy," the statement reads.

It is specified that the policy change, in particular, should allegedly allow to reduce Russia's oil export revenues.

The U.S. earlier in the day expanded sanctions against Russia, listing about 100 vessels involved in the transportation of Russian hydrocarbons, as well as a number of major Russian companies, including Gazprom Neft (and its head Alexander Dyukov), Surgutneftegaz, Zarubezhneft (and head Sergei Kudryashov), and Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachev.

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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, commenting on the new sanctions, told Izvestia that in this way the current U.S. leader Joe Biden would "only leave a legacy" before his departure, rather than leave a mark in history.

At the end of November last year, the United States imposed sanctions against First Deputy Chairmen of the Bank of Russia Vladimir Chistyukhin and Dmitry Tulin, as well as a number of Russian banks, including CentroCredit, ITURUP, Bratsk People's Bank and other financial structures.

At the same time, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said that Western sanctions will not lead to restrictions on Russia's foreign trade. According to him, all restrictions by Western countries first of all hit them. Siluanov emphasized that in 2024 the dynamics of economic growth in Russia will be about 4%, while the dynamics of the West will be "0.1% at best".

Western countries increased sanctions pressure on Russia after the start of the special operation to protect civilians in Donbass, which was announced on February 24, 2022.