US Sanctions New Companies Over Russian War Aid

The United States sanctioned a number of new companies from China and Russia for allegedly abetting the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.

On Monday, the Department of Commerce implicated nine entities for being involved in a scheme to supply the blacklisted Russian firm Special Technology Center with the necessary parts to make war drones.

Among those firms were Asia Pacific Links Ltd., based in Hong Kong, and SMT-iLOGIC LLC, a Russian import company. The pair had been the target of an earlier sanctions hit in May.

Meanwhile, six Chinese entities were added for allegedly organizing aerospace parts for the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Company, which makes drones that get traded to Russia for use in the Ukraine conflict.

Evolog Oy, Luminor Oy, and Siberica Oy – three Finnish companies – and Industrial Components Weirich from Germany were also put on the U.S. trade blacklist.

Reuters previously reported on Asia Pacific Links and SMT-iLOGIC's role in helping Russia evade sanctions, writing in December that both were central to the global covert drone supply chain.

"We will not hesitate to take swift and meaningful action against those who continue seeking to supply and support Putin's illegal and immoral war in Ukraine," said Alan Estevez, the Department of Commerce's undersecretary of Commerce for Industry and Security.

Another 19 companies from China, Russia, Pakistan, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates were also sanctioned Monday for their involvement in "activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy of the United States."

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