F.P. Report
WASHINGTON DC: On Tuesday, U.S State Department issued a press release announced sanctioning of Russian-based entity KVT-RUS.
While digging into the details State Department spokesperson added that the United States is imposing sanctions on the Russia-based entity KVT-RUS and identifying the vessel FORTUNA as blocked property.
He also commented that KVT-RUS is being sanctioned pursuant to Section 232 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for knowingly selling, leasing, or providing to the Russian Federation goods, services, technology, information, or support for the construction of Russian energy export pipelines.
The United States will consider further actions in the near term, under CA-ATSA, and the Protecting European Energy Security Act (PEESA), as amended, the statement runs.
While commenting on the Russian aggressive actions the spokesperson said, Nord Stream 2, if completed, would give Russia the means to completely bypass Ukraine, depriving Ukraine of vital revenues and opening it up to further Russian aggressive actions, while providing the means to use natural resources as a tool of political pressure and malign influence against western Europe. Today’s announcement demonstrates that the United States is not afraid to hold accountable those who continue to aid and abet this tool of Russian coercion, the spokesperson said.
In the end, the spokes-person commented that the United States will continue to work with our friends and allies to ensure Europe has a reliable, diversified energy supply network that does not undermine collective security.
U.S sanctions 11 entities, 3 Individuals for assisting Nicholas Maduro: Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State on Tuesday has announced that United States has sanctioned three individuals and 11 entities for their ties to a network helping Nicolas Maduro and his illegitimate regime evade U.S. sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector. He also provided more details saying that this action builds on previous sanctions targeting individuals and entities involved in a sanctions-evasion scheme benefitting the illegitimate Maduro regime and Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), which the regime uses as its primary conduit for corruption to exploit and profit from Venezuela’s natural reso-urces. The principal actors in the evasion network include Alessandro Bazz-oni, Francisco Javier D’Ag-ostino Casado, Philipp Paul Vartan Apikian, Elemento Ltd, and Swissoil Trading SA, Pompeo commented.
Additionally, OFAC is designating three companies located in Russia, Ukraine, and Venezuela, and identifying as blocked property six vessels that have recently been involved in the lifting and transport of Venezuelan oil, the statement adds.
