Monthly Archives: May 2024

The EU has sanctioned individuals and three entities for their links to North Korea

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The Council of the European Union has sanctioned six individuals and three entities for circumventing sanctions imposed on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

According to the official statement of the Council, the EU has repeatedly condemned the DPRK’s activities and called on Pyongyang to stop these illegal and dangerous launches that blatantly violate UN Security Council resolutions, undermine international peace and security, and threaten the global non-proliferation regime.

These individuals and entities have been added to the sanctions list:

  • Oleg Nikolaevich Kozhemyako (Олег Николаевич Кожемяко). DOB: 17.3.1962. POB: Chernigovka, (Russian: Черниговка), Russian Federation. Passport: 572110043. Nationality: Russian. Gender: male. In his capacity as governor of the Primorsky Krai region of the Russian Federation, Oleg Kozhemyako played an instrumental role in the September 2023 official visit of Kim Jong Un to the Russian Federation. During that visit, Mr. Kozhemyako presented weaponry and uniforms to Kim Jong Un as gifts for him to take back to the DPRK, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
  • Song Rim. DOB: 25.2.1991. Nationality: DPRK. Gender: male. Song Rim is a worker for the “Biryugang Overseas Technology Cooperation Company” (“Head of IT Development Department”), which is directly linked to the “Hapjanggang Trading Corporation”, which is subordinate to the Ministry of Rocket Industry of the DPRK.
  • Kim Chol Sok. DOB: 1.1.1970. Nationality: DPRK. Gender: male. Passport: D0004492 (Cambodian diplomatic passport, currently invalid). Kim Chol Sok is directly involved in violating UNSC resolutions and providing funds for the DPRK’s illicit programmes.
  • Rim Yong Hyok. DOB: 4.3.1972. POB: DPRK. Nationality: DPRK. Gender: male. Rim Yong Hyok is the Deputy Representative for the UN-sanctioned Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID) in Syria, which is the primary arms dealer and main exporter of goods and equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons from the DPRK.
  • Kim Kyong Nam. DOB: 11.07.1976. Nationality: DPRK. Gender: male. Kim Kyong Nam was a representative of the Foreign Trade Bank (FTB), the DPRK’s primary foreign exchange bank.
  • An Se-Ho. DOB: 15.6.1976. Passport: 572110043. Nationality: DPRK. Gender: male. An Se-Ho is a DPRK diplomat who was formerly the First Secretary at the Embassy of the DPRK in Conakry (Guinea). The embassy closed in December 2023. He was the main coordinator for the construction of an ammunition factory in Mali.
  • Hapjanggang Trading Corporation. This corporation is a subordinate to the Ministry of Rocket Industry of the DPRK.
    Korea Namgang Trading Corporation (NTC). The corporation is responsible for the expatriation of workers from the DPRK including expatriation to generate revenue for the DPRK government or the Workers’ Party of Korea.
  • Eastern Stevedoring Company (OOO “Восточная Стивидорная Компания”). As operator of Vostochny Port, the Eastern Stevedoring Company has been involved in arms transfers from the DPRK to the Russian Federation.

The U.S. imposes sanctions on Wagner Group-linked Companies in the Central African Republic

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The Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on two companies that are linked to the Private Military Company “Wagner” (Wagner Group) – Mining Industries SARLU and Logistique Economique Etrangere SARLU  . These companies are located in the Central African Republic (CAR).

Logistique Economique Etrangere SARLU (Logistique) is a CAR-based company that in 2021 received hundreds of shipments of heavy materials from LLC Broker Expert , a Russia-based company linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin (died in August 2023), the founder of the Wagner Group , the founder of Wagner Group, that has supported Russian interests in Ukraine and throughout Africa.

Mining Industries SARLU (Mining Industries) is a CAR-based mining company. The Wagner Group uses aircraft leased by Mining Industries to move personnel and equipment through CAR and elsewhere in Africa.

2002, the meeting of the presidents of Russia and the United States in a restaurant. Yevgeny Prigozhin is standing in the background / Photo: kremlin.ru

On June 20, 2017, OFAC designated the Wagner Group pursuant to E.O. 13660 for being responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The EU blocks Russian and Belarusian grain products

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The Council of the European Union has adopted a resolution to impose prohibitive duties on grain products imported from Russia and Belarus.

This decree increases the duties on cereals, oilseeds, and their processed products from Russia and Belarus, to such an extent that, in practice, the importation of these products is stopped.

“These measures will therefore prevent the destabilisation of the EU’s grain market, halt Russian exports of illegally appropriated grain produced in the territories of Ukraine and prevent Russia from using revenues from exports to the EU to fund its war of aggression against Ukraine,” said Vincent Van Peteghem, Belgian minister for finance.

The resolution will be published in the official journal of the EU, and the measures will take effect on July 1st, 2024.

According to the Russian customs service, exports of food and agricultural raw materials increased by 4.3% in 2023 compared to the previous year to $43.1 billion, while imports decreased by 1.7% to $35.1 billion.

The Russia’s state corporation recovers 123 million rubles from American Goldman Sachs Int

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The Russia’s state corporation VEB.RF recovered 123.9 million rubles (about 1.2 million euros) from American Goldman Sachs International.

The dispute between the two companies was examined by Moscow Arbitration Court and the court published the full text of its decision on May 27.

According to the court, in 2007, the companies entered into an agreement according to which they were supposed to make a series of payments in US dollars and euros to each other.

However, due to sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union on VEB.RF in 2022, VEB.RF was unable to receive 101 million rubles owed to it by Goldman Sachs. The agreement between the parties provided for disputes to be resolved through London International Arbitration, but VEB.RF argued that the sanctions prevented this and filed a claim with the Russian court instead.

The Moscow Arbitration Court found that “the existence of sanctions imposed by the EU, USA and UK directly against the plaintiff significantly affects his rights, putting him in an intentionally unequal position compared to other persons located in foreign jurisdictions, including the defendant. This is especially true in regard to the application and effect of the sanctions on the parties’ ability to perform their contractual obligations.”

The court ruled in favor of Goldman Sachs International and ordered it to pay VEB.RF a total of 123.9 million rubles in debt and interest for using funds.

VEB.RF is a Russia’s state corporation established by Russian federal law. VEB.RF is also a government agent for Russia’s foreign debt, both of the Russian Government and of the former Soviet Union, and the management of certain pension funds through State Trust Management Company, a separate division of VEB.RF.

The Court of Justice of the European Union decides to remove Farkhad Akhmedov from the sanctions list

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The Court of Justice of the European Union has decided to lift EU sanctions against Farkhad Akhmedov, who was sanctioned in April 2022.

The EU imposed sanctions based on the belief that he is a Russian businessman involved in the energy sector and Russian politics. He founded Tansley Trading and became a shareholder in Nort Gas, as well as the chairman of Bechtel Energy, companies that supply equipment to Russian energy producers and are important to the Russian government.

The evidence that the EU uses to impose sanctions is interesting. Among them are: an excerpt from the Wikipedia website, a screenshot from the Forbes magazine website, an extract from the Rumafia.net website and a screenshot from The Times newspaper.

Challenging the sanctions, Farkhad Akhmedov argued that the EU cannot refer to facts relating to economic activity which began more than ten years ago and therefore has nothing to do with current events in Ukraine. Secondly, the businessman challenged his “proximity to the Kremlin.”

He claimed that he was added to the list drawn up by the United States Department of the Treasury was because he has a net worth of 1 billion United States dollars (USD) (approximately EUR 900 million) or more and because there were disputes with Gazprom which proved that he did not acquire his fortune through the Russian government.

As a result, on May 29th, 2020 the court decided to remove sanctions.

Farkhad Akhmedov has lived in the UK since 1987. In the same year, he received his first capital trading licenses on the London Mercantile Exchange and created the company Tansley Trading, which supplies equipment to Soviet gas companies.

The EU imposes sanctions on Russian officials after the death of opposition politician Navalny

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The EU imposes sanctions on Russian officials after the death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

The EU Council has decided to impose sanctions against one entity and 19 individuals: the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, which is responsible for managing the Russian prison system; and several judges, prosecutors and members of the judiciary who played a role in the arrest, imprisonment, and death of Alexei Navalny – Oleg Orlov, leader of Memorial Human Rights Defense Center, was sentenced on politically motivated charges – Alexandra Skochilenko, an artist.

“We will spare no efforts to hold the Russian political leadership and authorities to account, including through this new sanctions’ regime,” said Josep Borrell, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

These individuals have been added to the sanctions list:

  • Nikolai Pavlovich DUBOVIK (Николай Павлович ДУБОВИК). : Judge of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation;
  • Eduard Borisovich ERDYNIEV (Эдуард Борисович ЭРДЫНИЕВ). Judge of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation;
  • Andrey Vladimirovich FEDOROV (Андрей Владимирович ФЕДОРОВ / ФЁДОРОВ). Judge of the Kirovsky District Court, city of Tomsk;
  • Ekaterina Vasilevna FEDOTOVA (NAUMOVA) (Екатерина Васильевна ФЕДОТОВА (НАУМОВА)). Representative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the city of Khimki, Moscow Oblast. DOB: 6.11.1995;
  • Inna Alexandrovna FESENKO (Инна Александровна ФЕСЕНКО). Judge of the Kirovsky District Court, city of Tomsk. DOB: 22.12.1968;
  • Ekaterina Viktorovna GALYAUTDINOVA (Екатерина Викторовна ГАЛЯУТДИНОВА). Judge of the Kirovsky District Court, city of Tomsk. DOB: 1969;
  • Dmitry Evgenevich PANKRATOV (Дмитрий Евгеньевич ПАНКРАТОВ). Senior Investigator of the Main Military Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Colonel of Justice. DOB: 29.12.1967;
  • Evgeniy Borisovich RASTORGUEV (Евгений Борисович РАСТОРГУЕВ). : Judge of the 9th Arbitration Court of Appeal, Russia. DOB: 20.8.1970;
  • Alexander Sergeevich ERMOLENKO (Александр Сергеевич ЕРМОЛЕНКО). Head of branch No 15 of the federal governmental institution “Criminal Executive Inspectorate of the Directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service in the City of Moscow”. DOB: 11.11.1993;
  • Irina Geroldovna KIM (Ирина Герольдовна КИМ). Judge of the Kovrov City Court of Vladimir Oblast. DOB: 14.8.1978;
  • Kirill Sergeevich NIKIFOROV (Кирилл Сергеевич НИКИФОРОВ). Judge of the Kovrov City Court of Vladimir Oblast. DOB: 14.3.1992;
  • Sergey Vladimirovich BLINOV (Сергей Владимирович БЛИНОВ). Judge of the Leninsky district Court of Kirov;
  • Evgeny Vladimirovich BORISOV (Евгений Владимирович БОРИСОВ). Judge of the Nikulinsky District Court of Moscow;
  • Tatyana Stanislavovna DODONOVA (Татьяна Станиславовна ДОДОНОВА). Judge of the Moscow City Court;
  • Elena Sergeevna ASTAKHOVA (Елена Сергеевна АСТАХОВА). Judge in the Golovinsky District Court of Moscow. DOB: 30.3.1978. ID NO. 45 01 525454 Taxpayer Personal Identification Number (ИНН): 7703204586;
  • Sergey VOROBYOV (Сергей ВОРОБЬЕВ). State Prosecutor;
  • Ilya Andreevich SAVCHENKO (Илья Андреевич САВЧЕНКО). Investigator in the Investigative Department of Tver (Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation). DOB: 18.6.1997 POB: Rtishchevo — Saratov Region, Russian Federation;
  • Oksana Vasilyevna DEMYASHEVA (Оксана Васильевна ДЕМЯШЕВА). Judge in the Vasileostrovsky District Court of Saint Petersburg. DOB: 10.3.1980;
  • Alexander Yurievich GLADYSHEV (Александр Юрьевич ГЛАДЫШЕВ). Prosecutor in the Department of State Prosecutors/ Saint Petersburg Prosecutor’s Office. DOB: 28.10.1994.

The EU imposes sanctions on pro-Russian Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk

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The European Union, at the suggestion of the Czech Republic, decided to impose sanctions on pro-Russian Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, producer Artyom Marchevsky and the Czech portal Voice of Europe.

This was announced by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs on social media.

“All restrictions that the Czech Republic had previously imposed against them are now valid in all 27 EU countries,” the statement reads.

In April 2022, Viktor Medvedchuck was detained by the Ukrainian Security Service on charges of treason and facilitating the activities of terrorist organizations.

After that, he was exchanged for prisoners held by Russia, and now lives in Russia.

On January 10, 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stripped Viktor Medvedchuk of his Ukrainian citizenship. Following that, the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine deprived Medvedchuk of the status of people’s deputy.

Japan and South Korea have imposed sanctions on Russia for cooperation with North Korea

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The Government of Japan has announced sanсtions on one Russian individual and nine entities for cooperation with North Korea. These entities transfer and procurement of all arms and related materiel to and from North Korea, noticed the goverment.

At the same time, South Korea has imposed sanctions on three Russian vessels, MAIA-1 (9358010), MARIA (8517839), and seven North Koreans. The South Korean Foreign Ministry stated that these individuals were involved in the purchase of materials and funding for North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, including transporting military cargo, arms trade, importing refined oil, and earning foreign currency.

These individuals and entities have been added to Japan’s sanction list:

  • Vladimir Vladimirovich MIKHEYCHIK (also known as Vladimir Vladimirovich MIKHEICHIK) (born on May 16, 1970);
  • Vladimir Ivanovich SHASTIN;
  • Sovfracht JSC (also known as OJSC SOVFRACHT and SVH-Freight JSC);
  • Azia Shipping Company LLC (also known as Sudokhodnaya Kompaniya Azia LLC, AZSCO and Azia Shipping Co);
  • The 224th Flight Unit State Airlines JSC (also known as TTF Heavy Lifting);
  • Marine Trans Shipping LLC;
  • M Leasing LLC;
  • MG-Flot LLC (also known as TransMorFlot, TransMorFlot Shipping Company and Transseaport).

Bill Browder made ideas to strengthen sanctions on Russia

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The House of Commons Treasury Committee, which is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, held the second session of the inquiry into the UK’s financial sanctions against Russia. One of the speakers was Bill Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital Management and Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign. Before 2005, Bill Browder had been the largest foreign investor in Russia, but he was denied entry into the country and was declared a “threat to national security” for exposing corruption in Russian state-owned companies. He proposed some ideas for strengthening financial sanctions on Russia.

“Let us get the list that the US has produced. We could produce our own, but let us get the list that the US Treasury has produced. Let us go down the list. Let us look at all the 36 people who have not been sanctioned. On the basis of the criteria that exist for the sanctions programme for the invasion of Ukraine, we should then apply sanctions to them if the criteria apply. That would be the simplest, most broad way of doing it. I do not want to throw individual names out here today, because I have not done the research, but that is where I would start,” said Bill Browder.

Besides that, Browder stressed that about $23 billion in Russian oligarch and official money was frozen in the UK.

parliamentlive.tv

“That is a drop in the ocean of how much money is in the UK that belongs to people who have done bad things… Most of the money is still hidden. How do we unhide that money? I have an idea, and I have been talking about this since the war began. We could put a provision in the next iteration of the sanctions law that said that any accountant, lawyer, trustee, etc. who worked for an individual who is sanctioned would have a duty in law to come forward to the Government and share information about the ownership of assets of the sanctioned individual,” suggested the CEO of Hermitage Capital Management.

Presently, there are 1,701 individuals and 299 entities in the UK sanctions list linked to Russia.

Sanctions have affected the Russian largest producer of palladium and nickel

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The Board of Directors of Nornickel recommends against paying dividends. According to the statement from the Board, the Russian company MMC Norilsk Nickel, the world’s largest producer of palladium and class I nickel and a major producer of platinum and copper, announced that in a majority vote, the Board decided to recommend at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders that dividends be not paid for the financial year 2023.

In 2022, sanctions affected Nornickels financials, according to the Board. Revenue decreased by 15% year-over-year to $14.4 billion, while EBITDA declined by 21% year on year to $6.9 billion. Free cash flow totaled $2.7 billion and free cash adjusted for interest and lease liabilities and dividends for non-controlling interests was $1.3 billion. The company has already paid $1.5 billion in interim dividends for 9M 2033.

“No dividend payment by increasing debt levels is considered expedient,” said the Nornikels Board.

The main production units of the Norilsk Nickel Group are located in the Norilsk Industrial District, on the Kola Peninsula and in Zabaykalsky Krai, Russia. The President and Chairman of the Management Board of MMC Norilsk Nickel is Vladimir Potanin.