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The US has imposed sanctions on more than 300 Russian and international entities, including some in China and Turkey, for providing support to Russia’s military as it wages war in Ukraine.
The fresh measures reflect Washington’s increasing concern about China and other countries providing critical inputs to sustain Russia’s military industrial base.
The targets of the sanctions announced on Wednesday include two Chinese groups that provided Russia with nitrocellulose, an ingredient for gunpowder and rocket propellant, as well as Russian importers of the chemicals.
“Today’s actions will further disrupt and degrade Russia’s war efforts by going after its military industrial base and the evasion networks that help supply it,” Treasury secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday.
The sanctions follow warnings issued by Yellen and secretary of state Antony Blinken that Chinese companies providing support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine will face significant consequences.
The Chinese targets include groups that allegedly supplied Russia with drones, weapons and ammunition, in addition to chips, sensors and other military-related technology.
Blinken raised concerns with Chinese officials during a recent visit to Beijing. Washington is also considering putting sanctions on Chinese banks, but the targets unveiled on Wednesday did not include any Chinese financial institutions.
The Treasury placed sanctions on two Chinese groups — Wuhan Global Sensor Technology Co and Wuhan Tongsheng Technology Co — that officials recently told reporters were helping Russia. Wuhan Global Sensor Technology produced infra-red detectors for a Russian manufacturer of military optics.
It also targeted Juhang Aviation, a Shenzhen-based company that produces drone-related equipment, including propellers, signal jammers, sensors and engines.
The latest sanctions come as the US begins rushing new lethal aid to Ukraine after Congress passed a much-delayed foreign aid package that included $60bn for Kyiv.
Ukrainian troops are struggling to hold their positions along the frontline in the east of the country.
“Combined, our support for Ukraine and our relentless targeting of Russia’s military capacity is giving Ukraine a critical leg-up on the battlefield,” Yellen said.
Wednesday’s sanctions also target Russia’s chemical and biological weapons programmes, according to the Treasury.
The US has sought other ways to curb cash flows to Vladimir Putin’s regime, including a measure that passed the Senate on Tuesday to ban imports of enriched uranium from Russia.
The White House has indicated that it supports the move. The bill will also release $2.7bn in government funding to build domestic uranium processing within the US.
Almost a fifth of the nuclear fuel used by the US nuclear reactor fleet is supplied through enrichment contracts with Russian suppliers, which is estimated to be worth about $1bn a year.
The legislation contains temporary waivers until the start of 2028, during which US customers can continue importing Russian uranium if no alternative supplies are available.