A businessman of both Swiss and Italian nationality is on the list of individuals and companies sanctioned by the United States on Friday for allegedly helping Russia buy military technology, including nuclear weapons.
“Swiss-Italian businessman Walter Moretti and his network of associates and companies have secretly acquired sensitive Western technology and equipment for Russian intelligence and the Russian military”according to the US Treasury Department.
“Moretti and his associates also bought equipment for Russian nuclear weapons laboratories”according to the Treasury of the United States of America (US).
In these operations, Moretti was aided by another Swiss-Italian, a German and two Swiss, as well as a company based in Switzerland and another in Bulgaria.
These European businessmen are among the list of “more than 200 individuals and entities” targeted by US sanctions against Russian interests, according to the White House (presidency).
The new sanctions were announced on the day of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
With the invasion of February 24, 2022, Russia unleashed a full-scale war that plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since World War II (1930-1945).
The new sanctions list also includes a Czech-based company, a subsidiary of a Russian company involved in the production of carbon and other materials for Russian defense systems.
These materials “are used in nearly all defense-related platforms, including aircraft, ground combat vehicles, ballistic missiles and military personal protective equipment, as well as other weapon systems,” the Treasury Department said.
Also on the list of the Ministry of Finance is arms dealer Nurmurad Kurbanov, a dual Russian and Turkmen citizen and owner of a company based in Cyprus.
According to the Treasury, Kurbanov and his company have “facilitated military and technical cooperation efforts between Russia and abroad”.
The private military company Redut, “a Russian mercenary force fighting in Ukraine”, is also listed, along with the Wagner group, “because it is owned or controlled by, or has acted or is alleged to have acted on behalf of or on behalf, directly or indirectly, of the Government of the Russian Federation”.
The new sanctions targets are Russia and third countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East “supporting the Russian war effort” by helping Moscow evade sanctions imposed by Western allies, the US administration said.
The new sanctions target sectors such as banking, defense and high-tech industries in Russia, according to a White House statement quoted by the French agency AFP.
The Russian metallurgical and mining sector is one of the targets of one of the “most significant sanctions measures to date”, according to the Ministry of Finance.
The American measure was taken in coordination with the G7, the group of the most industrialized countries, which also includes Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom.
The European Union (EU) also participates in the G7, the rotating presidency of which is currently held by Japan.
“Our actions today with our G7 partners show that we will support Ukraine for as long as it takes”US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement quoted by the AP news agency.
Source: DN
