US sanctions Russian tech firms, Russia bans EU leadership

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As part of its ongoing hysteric batches of sanctions on Russia, the US sanctioned several Russian technology firms on Thursday, including the country's largest chipmaker.

The US Treasury stated that the sanctions are "part of its crackdown on the Kremlin's sanctions evasion networks and technology companies, which are instrumental to the Russian Federation's war machine."

The sanctions target 21 entities and 13 individuals, including Mikron, Russia's largest manufacturer and exporter of microelectronics.

"Joint Stock Company Mikron (Mikron) is the largest Russian manufacturer and exporter of microelectronics," Treasury said, adding that the company exports more than half of its Russian microelectronics.

Furthermore, Treasury also named AO NII-Vektor, a software and communication technology firm, T-Platforms, a hardware sector company, and Molecular Electronics Research Institute (MERI).

As a result of today's sanctions, all US property owned by the targeted individuals and businesses has been blocked and must be reported to the US government.

The sanctions also target Moscow-based OOO Serniya Engineering, which the Treasury claims is "at the heart of a procurement network engaged in proliferation activities directed by Russian Intelligence Services."

The sanctions named several personals allegedly accused of working on Serniya's behalf, including Sergey Aleksandrovich Yershov and Viacheslav Yuryevich Dubrovinskiy.

"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 Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. 

"We will continue to target (Vladimir) Putin's war machine with sanctions from every angle," she added.

Russia fires back on Russophobic sanctions

On its account, Russia announced, on Thursday, that it will expand the list of EU officials barred from entering the country as a result of Western sanctions imposed in response to Moscow's military actions in Ukraine.

"The restrictions apply to the top leadership of the European Union including some European commissioners and heads of EU military structures as well as the vast majority of members of the European Parliament promoting anti-Russian policies," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“Others include "high-ranking officials... as well as public figures and media workers who are personally responsible for promoting illegal anti-Russian sanctions, inciting Russophobic sentiment and infringing the rights and freedoms of the Russian-speaking population," the statement added.

The Ministry stated that the EU delegation in Moscow had been notified and that "any hostile sanctions" imposed by the EU and its members would result in a "harsh response".