U.S. imposes new sanctions on Russian tech, sanctions evasion networks

March 31 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury Department said Thursday it is imposing new sanctions on Russian aerospace, marine and electronics sectors in a continuing effort to impose severe costs for the unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine.

The department said it's designating 21 entities and 13 individuals as part of a crackdown on "the Kremlin's sanctions evasion networks and technology companies, which are instrumental to the Russian Federation's war machine."

"Russia not only continues to violate the sovereignty of Ukraine with its unprovoked aggression but also has escalated its attacks striking civilians and population centers," said Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen. "We will continue to target Putin's war machine with sanctions from every angle, until this senseless war of choice is over."

The Treasury Department said Thursday's action is "part of the Administration's comprehensive response to restrict Russia's access to resources, sectors of their economy that are essential to supplying and financing the continued invasion of Ukraine."

The new sanctions targets include a company that exports more than 50% of Russian microelectronics and is Russia's largest chip maker.

According to the Treasury Department, the Moscow-based Serniya company is at the center of a sanctions evasion network engaged in proliferation activities at the direction of Russian Intelligence Services.

The department said the network operates across multiple countries "to obfuscate the Russian military and intelligence end users that rely on critical western technology."

Other companies named in the sanctions of these procurement networks include Robin Treid in Russia, United Kingdom-based Majory LLP and Photon Pro LLP and Spain-based Invention Bridge SL.

The Treasury Department described those entities as front companies used by Serniya.

Russian tech companies sanctioned Thursday include AO NII-Vektor, T-Platforms, Mikron and Molecular Electronics research Institute.

Also sanctioned Thursday was the State Research Center of the Russian Federation (FGUP) Central Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Mechanics (TsNIIKhM).

The Treasury Department said that entity developed the Triton malware (also known as TRISIS and HatMan) "specifically to target and manipulate ICS that are used in some critical infrastructure facilities."