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US Attorney General Merrick Garland
Photo: Eduardo Munoz / REUTERS
The US plans to impose sanctions on more than 500 targets in Russia on Friday to mark the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo told the Reuters news agency.
The measures, which would be taken in cooperation with other countries, were aimed at Russia's military-industrial complex as well as companies in third countries that facilitated Russia's access to the goods it wanted.
Washington wants to hold Russia accountable for the war and the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
The country also wants to take legal action against several Russian oligarchs in the USA.
"The Department of Justice is more committed than ever to disrupting the illicit flows of money fueling Putin's war and holding accountable those who continue to allow it," said US Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday.
US Department wants to confiscate assets
Proceedings have been initiated against several oligarchs in New York and Washington as well as in the US states of Florida and Georgia.
Among them is Andrei Kostin, the head of the second largest Russian bank VTB.
Kostin is accused of, among other things, money laundering and evading sanctions.
He owns two yachts that, according to the US Department of Justice, are worth a total of more than 125 million euros.
Garland announced several measures by his department "to enforce criminal prosecutions" and "seize the assets" of these actors important to the Kremlin and the Russian military.
The US and the EU have imposed a series of sanctions against Moscow since Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
US President Joe Biden also announced that he would announce further “significant” sanctions on Friday in response to the death of the imprisoned Kremlin critic Navalny.
jok/Reuters