The U.K. on July 17 added 13 people and one entity to its Russia sanctions list. The people include government officials and ministers and others responsible for the forced deportation of Ukrainian children. The lone entity is the Federal State Budget Educational Institution Artek International Children's Center. In the notice, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation also amended the entries for nine people and one entity.
The Commerce Department published its spring 2023 regulatory agenda for the Bureau of Industry and Security and the Census Bureau, including new rules that will add more entities to the Entity List and finalize new export filing requirements.
The U.K.'s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation will begin rejecting incomplete license applications instead of “engaging” with applicants to collect all required information, the agency announced last week. OFSI said its licensing team has experienced “unprecedented high demand” caused by its Russia sanctions, including a surge in new applications and requests to amend existing licenses, and it doesn’t have the time to continue a temporary measure under which it worked with applicants to fix missing information.
Vadim Konoshchenok, a Russian citizen allegedly linked to Russia's Federal Security Service, appeared before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on July 14 on charges of conspiracy related to a "global procurement and money laundering" scheme to benefit the Russian state, the U.S. Attorney's Office for that district announced. He faces a maximum of 30 years in prison.
The House last week voted 219-210 to pass its version of the FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act with several trade related provisions and amendments, including one amendment that would prohibit “any form of sanctions relief” for the Taliban “unless explicitly authorized by Congress in subsequent legislation.” Another provision would block the Defense Department from entering into a procurement contract with any person or entity that has “business operations” with the Russian government, while another “exhorts” the Defense Department to “commit resources” to make sure “foreign military sales officers in the Department are fully staffed to support the fulsome review and expedient transfer of defense articles” to Australia and the U.K.
Republicans last week criticized the Biden administration’s “lack of sanctions enforcement” against Iran, saying the country continues to sell oil to China and use those profits to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. The lawmakers called on the Treasury and State departments to develop a strategy to “prevent Iran’s petrochemical industry from supporting the regime’s nefarious activities,” saying the strategy should include more sanctions against Chinese people and companies buying Iranian energy.
The U.S. may need to address export control loopholes to better prevent China and others from acquiring sensitive technologies, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said, but he also cautioned the U.S. against imposing controls that are too broad and said they need to be coordinated with allies.
Andrea Gacki is leaving her role as director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control to become the new director of the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, the agency announced July 13. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Gacki helped guide OFAC through “major world events,” including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and “expertly” deployed financial sanctions, industry guidance and enforcement actions “to hold accountable those who threaten our national security and the international financial system.”
The Office of Foreign Assets Control on July 11 updated the Specially Designated Nationals List entry for Andrey Nikolayevich Ivanov, a Wagner Group official who has helped the sanctioned Russian private military company in weapons deals, mining activities and more. OFAC sanctioned Ivanov in June (see 2306270056).
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Serbian official Aleksandar Vulin, who has been “implicated” in transnational organized crime, illegal drug operations and “misuse of public office.” Vulin, director of Serbia’s Security Information Agency, worked with U.S.-sanctioned Serbian arms dealer Slobodan Tesic by helping him move illegal arms shipments across the country’s border, and has also used his position to support Russia and give the country “a platform to further its influence in the region.”