In response to the death of opposition figure Alexey Navalny and on the eve of Russia’s two-year war in Ukraine, the Biden administration is set to impose sanctions on more than 500 Russian targets, as reported by a Treasury official. This move marks the latest effort by the administration to impose consequences on Russia amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan announced earlier this week that the new sanctions would constitute a “substantial package” targeting various aspects of Russia’s defense industrial base and revenue sources that fuel the country’s “war machine.” President Joe Biden confirmed the impending sanctions, stating that they would be directed at President Vladimir Putin, whom Biden holds “responsible” for Navalny’s death. Biden made the announcement in San Francisco after meeting with Navalny’s widow and daughter.
During his visit to San Francisco, Biden referred to Putin as a “crazy HDP” during a fundraiser, expressing concerns about potential nuclear conflict but emphasizing climate change as the greater existential threat to humanity. In response, the Kremlin criticized Biden’s comments as a “huge embarrassment” to the United States.
The new sanctions are described as “another turn of the screw” in the ongoing saga of Western measures against Moscow since the beginning of the Ukraine war. Despite previous sanctions impacting Russia’s economy, Putin has remained undeterred in his actions. US officials had been working on a sanctions package before Navalny’s death and expanded it following the news, coordinating with European partners on the measures.
The imposition of sanctions on over 500 Russian targets comes at a critical juncture in US-Russian relations and underscores the Biden administration’s commitment to holding Russia accountable for its actions on the international stage.