Further Curbing Russia’s Efforts to Evade Sanctions and Perpetuate its War against Ukraine

The United States will continue to take action against Russia and those supporting its war in Ukraine, including further implementing the G7’s commitment to impose severe consequences on third country actors who support Russia’s war in Ukraine.  As part of a continued effort, and to reaffirm our commitment to working alongside our allies, the Department of State is imposing sanctions on April 12 on more than 80 entities and individuals that continue to enable and facilitate Russia’s aggression.  All targets are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 , which authorizes sanctions with respect to specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Network of Alisher Usmanov’s USM Holdings:

The Department is designating, pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii), U.S. designated oligarch Alisher Burhanovich Usmanov’s (Usmanov) company, USM Holding, which is the primary entity through which Usmanov owns and controls the majority of his companies, along with the following entities organized under USM:

• Obshchestvo S Ogranichennoi Otvetstvennostyu Kholdingovaya Kompaniya Yuesem (USM) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Usmanov.  USM is a Russia-based holding company that owns or controls the vast majority of Usmanov’s businesses.
  • Akkerman Cement OOO for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM.  Akkerman Cement OOO is a Russian domestic cement producer.
    • Akkermann Cement CA Limited Liability Company (Akkermann Cement CA) for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Akkerman Cement OOO.  Akkermann Cement CA is a subsidiary of Akkerman Cement OOO.
    • Akhangarancement Joint Stock Company for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Akkermann Cement CA.  Akhangarancement is an Uzbekistan-based producer of cement, largely for Uzbek domestic consumption.
  • Holdingovaya Kompaniya Metalloinvest AO (Metalloinvest) for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM. Metalloinvest is a large Russian iron producer and former exporter to the United States and European Union.
    • The following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Metalloinvest:
      • Lebedinskiy Gorno Obogatitelniy Kombinat Joint Stock Company is a is a Russia-based production subsidiary of Metalloinvest.
      • Mikhailovskiy Gorno Obogatitelniy Kombinat Joint Stock Company is a Russia-based production subsidiary of Metalloinvest.
      • Oskol Electrometallurgical Plant AO is a Russia-based production subsidiary of Metalloinvest.
      • Metalloinvest Trading AG is a Swiss-based subsidiary of Metalloinvest.
      • Hamriyah Steel Free Zone Company is a UAE-based subsidiary of Metalloinvest.
      • Management Company Metalloinvest LLC is a Russia-based management subsidiary of Metalloinvest.
  • USM Metalloinvest Limited Liability Company for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM.  USM Metalloinvest LLC is USM’s Russia-based subsidiary under which all of Metalloinvest is organized.
  • Yuesem Markirovka OOO for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM.  Yuesem Markirovka OOO is a Russia-based subsidiary of USM Holding that focuses on the development of software and general technologies.
  • Udokan Copper LLC for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM.  Udokan Copper LLC is a Russia-based copper project owned by USM that is not yet operational.
  • USM Cement LLC for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM.  USM Cement LLC is USM’s Russia-based holding company under which all USM cement enterprises are held.
  • USM City Limited Liability Company for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM.  USM City LLC is USM’s Russia-based holding company used to consolidate future urban development initiatives; it specifically focuses on providing architecture, engineering, and construction services to luxury apartments and offices within Russia.
    • City Development Limited Liability Company for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM City Limited Liability Company.  City Development Limited Liability Company is a Russia-based subsidiary of USM City LLC.
  • USM Gold Limited Liability Company is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM.  USM Gold LLC is USM’s Russia-based holding company under which gold exploration operations are organized.
    • Fedorovskoe OOO for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM Gold Limited Liability Company.  Fedorovskoe OOO is a subsidiary of USM Gold LLC that owns a license for gold exploration within the Russian region of Khalassia.
  • Limited Liability Company USM Telecom (USM Telecom) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM.  USM Telecom is USM’s Russia-based holding company under which all USM telecommunications entities are held.
    • The following entities are being designated, for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM Telecom:
      • • Digital Invest Limited Liability Company
        • International Digital Technology Centre Limited Liability Company
        • AF Telecom Holding Limited Liability Company (AF Telecom Holding LLC)
          • Megafon PAO (Megafon) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM Telecom and AF Telecom Holding LLC.
            • Onefactor Limited Liability Company for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Megafon.
        • Nexign Joint Stock Company (Nexign JSC)
          • Storm Technologies Limited Liability Company for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Nexign JSC.
  • USM Urban Mining Limited Liability Company is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM.  USM Urban Mining LLC is a recently established Russia-based subsidiary of USM Holding intended to sell minerals from recycled sources.
    • U-Terra LLC and Zincum LLC are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, USM Urban Mining Limited Liability Company.

The following entities are owned by Usmanov separate from USM Holdings:

• Limited Liability Company Forum (Forum) for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Usmanov, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked.  Forum is a Russia-based real estate company owned or controlled by Usmanov, owned separately from his USM Holding corporate structure.
  • Additionally, Forum subsidiaries Limited Liability Company Land Technologies and Limited Liability Company Novogorsk Real Estate for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Forum.

In addition to these sanctions actions, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Controls (OFAC) plans to issue four General Licenses to authorize certain activities with a number of the entities involved in this action related to Usmanov.  Please visit this webpage for additional details about the general licenses being issued.

Constraining Sanction Evasion Capacity

The Department is designating 27 entities and individuals involved in the facilitation of sanctions evasion activity via international transshipment.

• Yevgeniy Ivanovich Ditrikh (Ditrikh) is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(iii)(C) for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of Joint Stock Company State Transportation Leasing Company (JSC GTLK), which was previously designated pursuant to E.O. 14024.  Ditrikh is the director general of JSC GTLK.
  • The following vessels are being identified as blocked property in which JSC GTLK has an interest:
    • BALTIYSK
    • AVRORA ALTAIR
    • AVRORA REGUL
    • AVRORA SIRIUS
    • NAVIS 6
    • PETROTRANS 5902
    • VLADIMIR LATYSHEV
    • VICTOR ANDRYUKHIN
    • LEONID PESTRIKOV
    • NIKOLAI LEONOV
    • ALPHA HELIOS
    • ALPHA HERMES
    • VYACHESLAV ARSHINOV
    • GENNADY EGOROV
    • ALEXANDR DEEV
    • NIKOLAY ANISHCHENKOV
• Artvin Maritime and Trade Limited Company (Artvin) is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vi)(B) for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of Pola Raiz OOO, an entity that was previously designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 in February 2023.  Artvin is a Turkey-based shipping company suspected of material support to POLA RAIZ, an SDN-listed Russian shipping company.
• Salda Management Maritime and Trade Limited Company is also being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vi)(B) for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of Pola Raiz OOO.  Salda is a Turkey-based shipping company suspected of material support to POLA RAIZ.
• The following vessels are being identified as blocked property in which Pola Raiz OOO has an interest:
• Limited Liability Company Novelco (Novelco) is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the marine sector of the Russian Federation economy. Novelco is a Russia-based freight forwarding and shipping company.
  • Grigoriy Igorevich Grigoriev (Grigoriev), the CEO of Novelco, is being designated pursuant to pursuant to Section 1(a)(iii)(C) for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer or member of the board of directors of, Novelco.  Grigoriev has publicly advised Russian and third-party companies on how to evade U.S. sanctions on Russia.
  • The following Grigoriev-controlled entities are being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Grigoriev:
    • Limited Liability Company Novelco Global Forwarding
    • Limited Liability Company NDN
    • Smart Trading Transportation Industry and Trade Limited Company

The Network of Christodoulos Vassiliades

The Department is designating the network of the lawyer Christodoulos Vassiliades.  Vassiliades and the entities and individuals in his network have served as prolific enablers of a number of Russian oligarchs.

• Christodoulos Georgiou Vassiliades (Vassiliades) is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(iii)(A) for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of the Russian Federation, and Section 1(a)(iii)(C) for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of Sberbank Investment Limited, an entity that is blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024.  Vassiliades is a prolific enabler of Russian oligarchs and is also being sanctioned by the United Kingdom.
• Kyriaki Demetriou Kamperi (Kamperi) is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(iii)(A) for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of the Russian Federation, and pursuant to Section 1(a)(iii)(C) for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of Sberbank Investment Limited, an entity that is blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024.  Kamperi is a key associate of Vassiliades who is listed as a director or minority shareholder of multiple of Vassiliades’ entities.
  • Christodoulos G. Vassiliades & CO. LLC (CGV LLC) is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Vassiliades.  CGV LLC is Vassilides’s Cyprus-based law firm, which maintains offices in Belize, Seychelles, the British Virgin Islands, Hungary, and Greece.
  • Vassiliades & CO. UK Limited (Vassiliades UK) is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Vassiliades and Kamperi.
    • Anna Maria Vassiliades (Anna Maria) is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(iii)(C) for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of directors of Vassiliades UK.  Anna Maria is the adult daughter of Vassiliades.
  • Vassiliades & CO. Malta Limited (Vassiliades Malta) is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Vassiliades.
  • The following additional entities are being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Vassiliades:
    • Ionics Nominees Limited
    • Ledra Nominees Limited
    • Ledra Trustees Limited
    • Ledra Trustee Services Limited
  • Giorgos Vassiliades, the adult son of Vassiliades, is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(v) for being the spouse or adult child of Vassiliades.

The Network of Aleksei Bashkirov

The Department is designating the network of Aleksei Bashkirov, a member of the board of directors of Norilsk Nickel.  The designation of Bashkirov and entities he owns or controls will not result in the blocking of Norilsk Nickel.

• Aleksei Vladimirovich Bashkirov (Bashkirov) is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) for operating or for having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy.  Bashkirov is a member of the board of directors of Norilsk Nickel and owns or controls investment and holding companies in multiple foreign jurisdictions.
  • The following entities are being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Bashkirov:
    • WCP Management Company LTD is a newly established investment company in the UAE owned or controlled by Bashkirov.
    • Headey Investments Limited is a Cyprus-based entity owned or controlled by Bashkirov.
    • Waldau Investments Limited is a Cyprus-based entity owned or controlled by Bashkirov.
    • Limited Liability Company Translineinvest is a Moscow-based entity owned or controlled by Bashkirov.
    • Alayne Investment Limited is a Cyprus-based entity owned or controlled by Bashkirov.
    • Ironhill Holdings Limited is a Cyprus-based entity owned or controlled by Bashkirov.
      • Masterskill Investments Limited is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Ironhill Holdings Limited.  Masterskill Investments Limited is a Cyprus-based entity owned or controlled by Bashkirov through Ironhill Holdings Limited.

Actions Undermining the Peace and Security of Ukraine

The Department is designating the following entities pursuant to Section 1(a)(ii)(F) for being responsible for or complicit in, or for having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation.

• All Russian Children and Youth Military Patriotic Public Movement Youth Army – an initiative created by Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu responsible for militarizing and propagandizing schoolchildren in occupied areas of Ukraine.
• State Budgetary Educational Institution of Additional Education of the Republic of Crimea Crimea Patriot Center – an organization whose objective is to provide youth with a “military-patriotic education” in order to prepare them for service in the Russia’s Armed Forces.

Targeting the Defense Sector Activities of Russia

The Department is designating two entities and one individual involved in the Kremlin’s war effort.

• China HEAD Aerospace Technology Company, a PRC-based satellite image reseller that supplied satellite imagery of locations in Ukraine to entities affiliated with PMC Wagner and Yevgeniy Prigozhin.  China HEAD is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vi)(B) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Prigozhin, a person previously designated pursuant to E.O. 14024.
• Patriot PMC, an entity associated with Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and is competing with Prigozhin’s PMC Wagner.  Patriot PMC is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy.
• Marat Khusnullin, who is involved in military-related infrastructure development in occupied Ukraine, is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(iii)(A) for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of the Government of the Russian Federation.

Constraining Rosatom

The Department is designating five entities and one individual that are part of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom.  We are imposing these designations to constrain Rosatom, given that it uses energy exports, including in the nuclear sector, to exert political and economic pressure on its customers globally.

The following entity is being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(i):

• The Federal Scientific and Production Center “M.V. Protsenko Start Production Association”  for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy.  Protsenko advertises that it develops and produces complex technologies for nuclear facilities.

The following entities and individual are being designated pursuant to Section 1(a)(vii):

• Rusatom Overseas JSC  for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation.  Rusatom Overseas is involved in Rostom’s corporate development, with stated goals of building up Rosatom’s overseas nuclear power plant order portfolio and maintaining Russia’s leading position in the global nuclear market.
  • Evgeny Pakermanov, the president of Rusatom Overseas, for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of Rusatom Overseas.
• Kovrov Mechanical Plant PJSC (KMZ)  for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation.  KMZ engages in the manufacture of gas centrifuges and also offers special nuclear equipment components and accessories.
• Vladimir Tochmash Joint Stock Company for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation.  Tochmash advertises that it is involved in manufacturing specialty equipment for use in gas centrifuges and nuclear power facilities, among other things.
• JSC Nauchno-Issledovatelsky i Konstruktorsky Institut Montazhnoy Tekhnologii Atomstroy (NIKIMIT) for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation.  NIKIMIT is involved in the development and application of technologies for nuclear facilities, dismantlement of decommissioned nuclear facilitates, and construction of new infrastructure for nuclear decommissioning.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, and in accordance with E.O. 14024, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of the OFAC.  Additionally, all individuals or entities that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked.  All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt.  These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.