US includes Chinese groups in sanctions over aid to Russian military

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The US has imposed sanctions on more than 300 Russian and international entities, including some in China and Turkey, for providing support to Moscow’s military as it wages war in Ukraine.

The fresh measures reflect Washington’s increasing concern about China and other countries providing critical inputs to sustain Russia’s military industrial base.

The targets of the sanctions announced on Wednesday include two Chinese groups that provided Moscow with nitrocellulose, an ingredient for gunpowder and rocket propellant, as well as Russian importers of the chemicals.

“Today’s actions will further disrupt and degrade Russia’s war efforts by going after its military industrial base and the evasion networks that help supply it,” Treasury secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday.

The sanctions follow warnings from Yellen and secretary of state Antony Blinken that Chinese companies providing support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine will face significant consequences.

The Chinese embassy in Washington said China “firmly opposes” what it described as “illegal unilateral sanctions”. It said Beijing “oversees the export of dual-use articles in accordance with the laws and regulations”.

The Chinese targets include groups that allegedly supplied Russia with drones, weapons and ammunition, in addition to chips, sensors and other military-related technology.

Blinken raised concerns with officials during a recent visit to Beijing. Washington is also considering putting sanctions on Chinese banks, but the targets unveiled on Wednesday did not include any Chinese financial institutions.

The Treasury placed sanctions on two Chinese groups — Wuhan Global Sensor Technology and Wuhan Tongsheng Technology — that officials recently told reporters were helping Russia. Wuhan Global produced infrared detectors for a Russian manufacturer of military optics.

It also targeted Juhang Aviation, a Shenzhen-based company that produces drone-related equipment, including propellers, signal jammers, sensors and engines.

The latest curbs come as the US begins rushing new lethal aid to Ukraine after Congress passed a much-delayed foreign aid package that included $60bn for Kyiv.

Ukrainian troops are struggling to hold their positions along the front line in the east of the country.

“Combined, our support for Ukraine and our relentless targeting of Russia’s military capacity is giving Ukraine a critical leg up on the battlefield,” Yellen said.

Wednesday’s sanctions also target Russia’s chemical and biological weapons programmes, according to the Treasury.

The US also designated shipping operators that have continued to support the development of Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project after it was sanctioned last year.

Among them is Red Box Energy Services, a Singapore-based company founded by US-born shipping executive Philip Adkins. The journey of Red Box-operated vessels, the Audax and Pugnax, through the ice-bound Northern Sea Route to deliver equipment to Arctic LNG 2 was documented in a Financial Times investigation in February. Adkins has not been designated by the US. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The US Department of State said: “Today’s actions demonstrate the United States’ continued resolve to constrain the Arctic LNG 2 project’s production and export capacity and limit third-party support to the project.”

The US has sought other ways to curb cash flows to Vladimir Putin’s regime, including a measure that passed the Senate on Tuesday to ban imports of enriched uranium from Russia.

The White House has indicated it supports the move. The bill will also release $2.7bn in government funding to build domestic uranium processing within the US.

Almost a fifth of the nuclear fuel used by the US nuclear reactor fleet is supplied through enrichment contracts with Russian suppliers, which is estimated to be worth about $1bn a year.

The legislation contains temporary waivers until the start of 2028, during which US customers can continue importing Russian uranium if no alternative supplies are available.