Husch Blackwell LLP (LexBlog Russia)
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BIS Issues New Guidance to Combat Russia Diversion Risks and Highlights Recent Enforcement Actions
Recently, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) issued new guidance to exporters intended to further assist BIS in its efforts to crack down on third-party diversion to Russia. Specifically, BIS’s recent guidance outlines the various mechanisms it has employed—outside of its usual public screening lists (i.e., the Unverified List, Entity...
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Executive Order Imposes New Russia Sanctions for Foreign Financial Institutions and Prohibits Additional Russian Imports
Executive Order Imposes New Russia Sanctions for Foreign Financial Institutions and Prohibits Additional Russian Imports On December 22, 2023, President Biden issued Executive Order 14114, which amended previous Executive Orders in order to authorize the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) to impose additional Russia-related sanctions on foreign financial...
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Podcast: The Latest on Russia Sanctions
Check out the latest episode of The Justice Insiders—a podcast hosted by Husch Blackwell partner Gregg Sofer—where we explore the intersection of international trade law and government investigations and enforcement, particularly in connection with Russia. I previously appeared on Gregg’s podcast during the first quarter of 2022, and we pick up that conversation in order...
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BIS Implements Additional Export Controls and Entity List Additions Targeting Russia to Align with Allies and Partners
On May 19, 2023, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) announced new export controls and Entity List additions during President Biden’s G7 visit in Japan. In conjunction with the G7 meetings, BIS stated these new restrictions are designed to better align U.S. controls with those of its partner and ally countries,...
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OFAC and U.S. Department of State Issue New Sanctions and Designates More Than 300 Russian Federation Individuals and Companies Aiding Russia’s War Efforts
On Friday, May 19, 2023, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) announced the addition of more than 300 Russian Federation individuals and companies as well as other individuals and companies alleged to be aiding Russia’s war efforts to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (“SDN”) List. Simultaneously, the U.S....
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OFAC Issues Sweeping Sanctions to Mark One Year Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
On Friday, February 24, 2023, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) issued new sanctions against individuals and entities operating in Russia and against those assisting with Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. In combination with OFAC’s additional sanctions, BIS also implemented additional export control measures and added 86 identified supporters of the...
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Biden Administration Increases Tariffs on Russian Aluminum and 100 Other Products on One Year Anniversary of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
On February 24, 2023, the Biden Administration announced the imposition of additional tariffs on Russian imports of aluminum and approximately 100 other individual products. The imposition of these additional tariffs was announced on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The White House announced its continued support of Ukraine in a series of actions...
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BIS Issues New Export Controls and Entity List Additions Targeting Russia on One-Year Anniversary of Invasion
The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) announced today new export controls and Entity List additions designed to further restrict Russia’s ability to maintain its continued war against Ukraine. The Biden Administration’s measures come on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the first announcement by several Western countries, including...
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OFAC Continues to Take Aim at Russia’s Financial Sector with More SDN Designations
On December 15, 2022, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) added 18 entities in Russia’s financial services sector to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”). The US State Department concurrently designated Vladimir Potanin, one of the richest men in Russia. OFAC designated Public Joint Stock Company Rosbank (“Rosbank”), a bank...
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U.S. Departments of Treasury and State Expand Sanctions To Restrict Russia’s Access to Services and Economics and Combat Evasion and Backfill Activities
On June 28, 2022, the Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) issued a Joint Alert urging financial institutions to be vigilant against efforts by individuals or entities to evade BIS export controls implemented in connection with the Russian Federation’s further invasion...
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U.S. Departments of Treasury and State Expand Sanctions To Restrict Russia’s Access to Services and Economics and Combat Evasion and Backfill Activities
On June 28, 2022, the Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) issued a Joint Alert urging financial institutions to be vigilant against efforts by individuals or entities to evade BIS export controls implemented in connection with the Russian Federation’s further invasion...
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OFAC and State Department Designate Severstal, Nord Gold and Additional Russians as SDNs
On June 2, 2022, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added new Russian vessels and aircraft used by Russian elites, new top Russian government officials, and their companies and operations to the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List for aiding in the continued war effort by Russia against Ukraine. Notably, these designations include more Russian...
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BIS Adds 71 Entities to Entity List; Issues Russia/Belarus Corrections and Clarifications; and Updates EAR to Allow Immediate Publication of Charging Letters
On June 2, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) updated the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) to: (i) add 71 entities to the Entity List “for acquiring or attempting to acquire U.S.-origin items in support of Russia’s military”; (ii) issue minor revisions, corrections, and clarifications to its Russia and Belarus...
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OFAC Issues New Sanctions Prohibiting Certain Accounting, Auditing, Corporate Formation and Management Services to Persons in Russia Effective June 7, 2022; And Additional Bank Designations and General Licenses
On May 8, 2022 the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s (“Treasury”) Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) further escalated U.S. sanctions against the Russian Federation (“Russia”) by issuing two Determinations, adding new individuals and entities to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list (“SDN List”), and issuing three new general licenses in connection with...
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BIS Expands List of Items Subject to EAR Russia Industry Sector Sanctions Effective Immediately
On May 9, 2022, the Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) released for public inspection a Final Rule adding hundreds of new items to a list of restricted items in Supplement No. 4 to Part 746 of the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). BIS created the Supplement No. 4 list two months ago in March...
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Summary of Changes in Russia/Belarus Export Controls and Sanctions Occurring From March 31, 2022 to April 22, 2022
This blog post covers several new sanctions and export controls that the U.S. government imposed on Russia and Belarus in the time period occurring between March 31, 2022 and April 21, 2022. As regular readers are aware, these restrictions are subject to frequent and sudden change. For summaries of previously imposed sanctions and coverage on...
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BIS Modifies and Expands List of Russian-Controlled Aircraft Subject to the EAR Known or Suspected to Have Violated the EAR
On March 30, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) modified and expanded a list of aircraft that have flown into Russia in apparent violation of the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). We more thoroughly discussed the implications of this list – which was first published on March 18, 2022 –...
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OFAC Announces Hundreds of New SDN Designations Targeting Russia’s Duma, Defense Sector and Bank Officials; Issues New General Licenses
On March 24, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) updated the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) with hundreds of new designations pursuant to Executive Order 14024. The new SDNs include: The Russian Federation (“Russia”) State Duma (lower house of the Russian legislature) as an...
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OFAC Announces Hundreds of New SDN Designations Targeting Russia’s Duma, Defense Sector and Bank Officials; Issues New General Licenses
On March 24, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) updated the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) with hundreds of new designations pursuant to Executive Order 14024. The new SDNs include: The Russian Federation (“Russia”) State Duma (lower house of the Russian legislature) as an...
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BIS Signals Aggressive Enforcement Approach to Russia-Related EAR Violations
On March 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) publicly identified certain commercial and private aircraft that have entered Russia in likely violation of the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). BIS provided an initial listing of nearly 100 Boeing aircraft owned and/or operated by Aeroflot, AirBridgeCargo, Aviastar-TU, Azur Air, Nordwind,...
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U.S. Imposes More Russian Sanctions and Export Controls on Consumer Items and Luxury Goods, U.S. Dollar-Denominated Banknote Transactions, and Russian Oligarchs
On Friday, March 11, 2022, the White House issued Executive Order (“EO”) 14068 announcing more sanctions and export controls against the Russian Federation (“Russia”). Concurrent with that announcement, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”) released new export controls restricting the flow of “luxury goods” to Russia, Belarus, and Russian/Belarusian “oligarchs...
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Why Russia Sanctions Matter – Even if You’re Not an Oligarch
Husch Blackwell’s latest podcast, The Justice Insiders, provides a unique perspective on some of the country’s most interesting criminal cases and issues related to compliance, internal investigations and regulatory enforcement. In episode 2, Husch Blackwell’s Gregg Sofer and Scott Glabe discuss implications of the United States’ broad and hastily enforced sanctions on Russia with Cortney Morgan,.
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Why Russia Sanctions Matter – Even if You’re Not an Oligarch
Husch Blackwell’s latest podcast, The Justice Insiders, provides a unique perspective on some of the country’s most interesting criminal cases and issues related to compliance, internal investigations and regulatory enforcement. In episode 2, Husch Blackwell’s Gregg Sofer and Scott Glabe discuss implications of the United States’ broad and hastily enforced sanctions on Russia with Cortney Morgan,.
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Biden Issues Executive Order Prohibiting Certain Imports and Calls for Congressional Action to Revoke Permanent Normal Trade Relations With Russia
On March 11, 2022, President Biden issued an Executive Order (“EO”) that prohibited the importation into the United States of fish, seafood, and preparations thereof; alcoholic beverages; non-industrial diamonds; and any other products of Russian Federation origin as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and...
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U.S. Imposes More Sanctions and Export Controls against Russia and Belarus
On February 24, 2022, the U.S. imposed sweeping sanctions and export controls actions in response to the Russian Federation’s (“Russia”) “war of choice” against Ukraine. (Husch Blackwell summarized the February 24, 2022 actions in a Client Alert published here, as well as more limited actions on February 21-22 here and here.) The past ten (10)...
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OFAC Imposes “First Tranche” of Russia Sanctions Aimed at Russian Banks and Oligarchs
On February 22, 2022, one day after the Russian Federation formally recognized the Donetsk People’s Republic (“DNR”) and Luhansk People’s Republic (“LNR”) of Ukraine as “independent states” and the Biden Administration responded by imposing a sanctions embargo against the DNR and LNR regions, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) took further...
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OFAC Imposes “First Tranche” of Russia Sanctions Aimed at Russian Banks and Oligarchs
On February 22, 2022, one day after the Russian Federation formally recognized the Donetsk People’s Republic (“DNR”) and Luhansk People’s Republic (“LNR”) of Ukraine as “independent states” and the Biden Administration responded by imposing a sanctions embargo against the DNR and LNR regions, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) took further...
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U.S. Government Signals that Increased Sanctions and Export Controls Will Likely Follow if Russia Invades Ukraine
Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops at the Ukrainian border, leading the White House to issue a warning on January 25 that the U.S. is “prepared to implement sanctions with massive consequences that were not considered in 2014 [when Russia invaded and annexed the Crimea region of Ukraine]” if Russia “further invades Ukraine”. President...
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OFAC Sanctions Four Ukrainian Officials for Acting on Russia’s Behalf; Additional Russia Sanctions Could Follow
As tensions run high between Washington and Moscow over a possibly imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) designated today four (4) current and former Ukrainian officials under Executive Order (“EO”) 14024 dated April 15, 2021. In a press release issued earlier today, OFAC asserted...
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Petition Summary: Urea Ammonium Nitrate Solutions from Russia and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
On June 30, 2021, CF Industries Nitrogen, LLC and its subsidiaries, Terra Nitrogen, Limited Partnership and Terra International (Oklahoma) LLC (“Petitioners”), filed a petition for the imposition of antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of certain urea ammonium nitrate solutions from Russia and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION The merchandise...