U.S. Senate Committee Approves Sanctions against Russia

The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations approved on Wednesday a huge package of sanctions against Russia, Communications Director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Minority Juan Pachon told TASS on Wednesday. “Yes, the Committee passed the legislation,” Pachon said. Seventeen senators supported the initiative, while five lawmakers were against it. The bill will be presented to the Senate now, where it can be revised. The document provides for toughening of sanctions against Russia, restrictions against the Russian shipbuilding industry, energy projects, cyber-sector and financial sector. The document implies, in particular, the imposition of sanctions on 24 FSB officers, who, according to the American side, are related to the incident in the Kerch Strait. In addition, the American leader is obligated to “publicly urge the government of the Russian Federation to return Crimea to the control of the government of Ukraine.” Lawmakers also oblige the head of state to impose sanctions against individuals investing in Russian projects related to the production of liquefied natural gas outside the Russian Federation. The initiative imposes sanctions on individuals “supporting the development of oil reserves in the Russian Federation” in one way or another. The document provides for toughening anti-Russian sanctions, imposing restrictions against the Russian shipbuilding industry, as well as against energy projects, including state participation, banks, the cyber sector and the financial sector of the Russian Federation. Part of the sanctions is related to interference in democratic processes or elections abroad. The restrictions proposed in the document regarding Russian public debt will only apply to new bonds issued by the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank, the National Welfare Fund of Russia, and any financial institution on behalf of the Russian Federation with a circulation period of more than 14 days. Lawmakers propose restricting transactions with newly issued Russian sovereign bonds, as well as imposing sanctions on energy projects in Russian state-owned companies outside the Russian Federation and some banks. The bill says that the American leader should impose sanctions against “politicians, oligarchs and other persons who promote illegal and corrupt activities” in Russia, as well as against those who “consciously commit significant financial transactions with individuals who support Russian malicious activity in cyberspace.” Correspondent