TheNewsGuru

Tag: Sanctions

  • UK sanctions Vladimir Putin’s daughters

    UK sanctions Vladimir Putin’s daughters

    Vladimir Putin’s daughters have been sanctioned by Britain under measures to target the lavish lifestyles of the Russian president’s inner circle over the invasion of Ukraine.

    The Foreign Office announced travel bans and asset freezes against Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova on Friday.

    Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov’s daughter, Yekaterina Sergeyevna Vinokurova, also faces the same action.

    The U.S. has already sanctioned Putin’s daughters in retaliation against “war crimes’’ in Ukraine, and the European Union is expected to follow suit.

    Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “Our unprecedented package of sanctions is hitting the elite and their families, while degrading the Russian economy on a scale Russia hasn’t seen since the fall of the Soviet Union.

    “But we need to do more. Through the G7, we are ending the use of Russian energy and hitting Putin’s ability to fund his illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.

    “Together, we are tightening the ratchet on Russia’s war machine, cutting off Putin’s sources of cash.’’

    The Foreign Office said the action is being taken to target the lavish lifestyles of the Kremlin’s inner circle.

    The action against Tikhonova, 35, Vorontsova, 36, and Vinokurova, 39, appeared on an updated sanctions list published online.

    Britain has now sanctioned more than 1,200 individuals and businesses in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February.

    It is not the first time a relative of Lavrov has been targeted, with his step-daughter Polina Kovaleva sanctioned last month.

    With 76 oligarchs among the sanctioned, the measures are in part designed to apply pressure on the Kremlin to retreat.

    But they are also seeking to seal off funds to reduce Putin’s military might, with 16 banks targeted too.

    Sanctions across Western allies have meant that 275 billion pounds of Russian foreign currency reserves, representing 60 per cent of its total, were frozen, according to the Foreign Office.

  • FIFA, CAF set to sanction Nigeria over fans pitch invasion

    FIFA, CAF set to sanction Nigeria over fans pitch invasion

    Nigeria faces FIFA and CAF sanctions after thousands of football fans invaded the Moshood Abiola stadium football pitch, following a 1-1 stalemate with the Black Stars of Ghana on Tuesday.

    Thomas Partey scored for Ghana in the 10th minute of the encounter before Williams Troost Ekong equlized in the 22nd minutes from the spot.

     

    The away goal rule still being used by FIFA ensured Nigeria fail to grab the Worldcup ticket.

    The angry supporters invaded the pitch and destroyed properties worth millions of Naira.

    The irate fans destroyed the substiture bench and called for the removal of Super Eagles coaching team and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick.

     

  • Your Sanctions ‘stupid ,ineffective’ -Ex-President, Medvedev

    Your Sanctions ‘stupid ,ineffective’ -Ex-President, Medvedev

    Ex-Russian president Dmitry Medvedev as referred to sanctions imposed by US and NATO as stupid and ineffective.

    Medvedev mentioned this when speaking to Russia News Agency saying it was very foolish of America and allies to believe that they would have effect on government policies.

    He said “It is foolish to believe that Western sanctions against Russian businesses could have any effect on the government.

    The Russian ex-president who is the deputy head of the security council said this on Friday.

    He said the numerous sanctions on his country will only consolidate its society and not cause popular discontent with the authorities.

    Following its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has received many sanctions ranging from Economic, sports, etc.

    “Let us ask ourselves: can any of these major businessmen have even the tiniest quantum of influence of the position of the country’s leadership?” Medvedev said. “I openly tell you: no, no way.”

    “Now, it will be more difficult to tackle those issues, but on the other hand, we cannot rely on anyone,” Medvedev said.

    “In this case, we will have to solve those problems ourselves.”

    Russia has has vowed to continue its invasion and assault on Ukraine over its continuoius romance with NATO countries.

    Russia is bent on accomplishing its goals of “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine.

  • Chelsea accounts temporarily frozen amid Abramovich sanctions

    Chelsea accounts temporarily frozen amid Abramovich sanctions

    Chelsea have had several accounts temporarily frozen as banks assess the Stamford Bridge club’s new operating licence.

    Roman Abramovich’s British government sanctions have frozen all the billionaire’s British assets barring Chelsea, with the club continuing to operate under special and stringent conditions.

    Owner Abramovich was sanctioned on Thursday after the Conservative government said it had proven the 55-year-old’s links to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    Russian-Israeli billionaire Abramovich has always denied links to Russia’s current regime, but Putin’s war in Ukraine has led to a major geopolitical shift.

    Chelsea’s strict licence is designed to ensure Abramovich will not profit amid the Stamford Bridge club’s continued operations.

    Ticket sales have been banned and an embargo placed on new transfers and new contracts for existing stars.

    And those new government regulations have led banks to hit pause on a number of Chelsea accounts on a short-term basis to seek more detail on that licence.

    Chelsea are understood to be hopeful the suspensions will be lifted shortly, moving the west London club closer back towards normal operation.

    The club’s chiefs were understood to have been locked in negotiations with government officials throughout Friday on amendments to that new licence.

    Chelsea expect negotiations with Downing Street to continue into next week as the two parties thrash out an easing of the restrictions.

    The Premier League club are thought to have their travel and accommodation bills already paid for the rest of this season for existing fixtures, but this does not cover cup competitions.

    The Blues are slated to face Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium in the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 19.

    Under the current rules, Chelsea cannot sell any new tickets for that match, which would severely hit second-tier club Middlesbrough’s gate revenue.

    Chelsea cannot sell any new match programmes for Sunday’s Premier League home clash with Newcastle United, so vendors are thought to be unable to work at Stamford Bridge.

    Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2, amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine, with his ownership set to end after 19 years and 21 trophies.

    Abramovich had pledged to write off the club’s debt and plough all sale proceeds into a new charitable foundation to aid victims of the war in Ukraine.

    Chelsea’s current licence terms have paused the club’s sale.

    But the government is understood to be ready to take control of the process, or oversee a transfer of ownership carried out by Abramovich.

    British property tycoon Nick Candy’s vision for a redeveloped Stamford Bridge could hand the billionaire an edge in that process.

    A spokesperson for Candy on Friday confirmed the 49-year-old’s continued interest in Chelsea.

    “We are examining the details of yesterday’s announcement and we are still interested in making a bid,” said Candy’s spokesperson.

    A host of US investors still harbour interest in Chelsea, with Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly part of one consortium.

    Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts is another one with a strongly-rumoured interest.

    Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said he would be open to Chelsea wearing a symbol of peace in place of regular shirt sponsor Three’s logo.

    Mobile phone company Three has paused its Chelsea shirt sponsorship in the wake of Blues owner Abramovich falling under British government sanctions.

    “We can always wear a message for peace and it can never be the wrong message,” said Tuchel.

  • UKRAINE WAR: Google sends alerts for incoming air raids to Ukrainians Android phone users

    UKRAINE WAR: Google sends alerts for incoming air raids to Ukrainians Android phone users

    In an effort to help Ukrainians get to safety, Google will immediately start rolling out alerts for incoming air raids to their Android phone users.

     

    This was disclosed by the company in its blog post on Thursday.

     

    President of global affairs for Google, Kent Walker, said the Air Raid Alert system will work in conjunction with the Ukrainian government.

     

    “At the request, and with the help, of the government of Ukraine, we’ve started rolling out a rapid Air Raid Alerts system for Android phones in Ukraine.

     

    “This work is supplemental to the country’s existing air raid alert systems, and based on alerts already being delivered by the Ukrainian government,” Walker wrote.

     

    Vice president of engineering at Google for Android, Dave Burke, said the system is based off of the earthquake alerts they send users.

     

    He pointed out that the new system has started rolling out already and will ramp up to target all Android phones in Ukraine over the next few days.

     

    He said: “The system leverages our low latency alert mechanism we built for earthquake alerts,” Burke tweeted.

     

    “The air raid system is supplemental too, and shares the same triggers used for, the country’s existing air raid alert systems.”

     

    On March 4, Google directed Google Play users in Ukraine to the Ukrainian Alarm app. They said the app was created by Ukrainian developers in cooperation with the Ukrainian government to give people better air raid warnings.

     

    “Now, Ukrainians will be able to receive alerts if their phone location and internet is turned on without the third-party app.

     

    “Air raid alerts and sirens in Ukraine are a tragic daily reality, and we’re doing all we can to help people get these crucial alerts as many ways as possible,” the company stated.

     

    Google has already blocked Russian state media channels from its platforms, including the Google Play store.

     

    It has suspended Google Pay for customers of sanctions-hit Russian banks, meaning customers of those banks won’t be able to use the mobile payment system.

  • WAR: BIS hits Central Bank of Russia

    WAR: BIS hits Central Bank of Russia

    Russia’s apex financial institution the central Bank of Russia (CBR) has been sanctioned by the Bank for international settlements.

    The Bank for International Settlements effectively serves as the central bank of central banks.

    According to the statement released by the Bank for international settlements spokesperson, Central Bank of Russia was sanctioned because of its continued invasion of Ukraine.

    The statement reads “The Bank for International Settlements is following international sanctions against the Central Bank of Russia, as applicable, and will not be an avenue for sanctions to be circumvented,”

    “The access of the Central Bank of Russia to all BIS services, meetings and other BIS activities, has been suspended.”

    Western powers led by the US and EU are imposing punishing sanctions on Russia and its central bank.

    Founded in 1930, the BIS is owned by 63 central banks, including the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.

  • FIFA sanctions Belarus, orders its clubsides and national teams to play home games on neutral ground

    FIFA sanctions Belarus, orders its clubsides and national teams to play home games on neutral ground

    For being a Russia ally the European country of Belarus has been hit with a sanction by FIFA.

    On Thursday, UEFA in a statement stated that Belarussian clubs and national teams competing on the continent would play their home games on neutral grounds following the Russia -Ukraine crisis.

    Authoritarian Belarus and Russia are closely linked and Belarus has been used as a key staging ground for the invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

    The decision follows Russia’s expulsion from the World Cup on Monday after FIFA and UEFA suspended all Russian clubs and national teams from their competitions “until further notice”.

    UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has admitted there is no timeline for Russia’s readmittance into European football.

    “At this moment, impossible to say,” Ceferin said at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit.

    “At this moment our decision was the only right decision, a unanimous decision from the executive directors of UEFA. What happens tomorrow, nobody knows.

    “I cannot give you an answer. For now it stays like that and we are waiting for peace to come. Football will be the least important thing then.”

  • What sanctions have been imposed on Russia over attack on Ukraine?

    What sanctions have been imposed on Russia over attack on Ukraine?

    After Russian forces entered Ukraine from Belarus which is about 20 miles from the capital Kyiv and launched multiple attacks on major cities resulting in both military and civilian casualties, a number of sanctions have already been announced by Western powers against Russia, in an attempt to compel President Vladimir Putin to take urgent steps towards deescalating the conflict.

    The sanctions target different areas, hitting specific financial institutions, Russia’s capacity to raise sovereign debt on international markets as well as several individuals, but analysts say that the measures fall short of the options available and may not have much impact.

    Below is a list of sanctions announced against Russia so far:

    EU

    The 27-member bloc unanimously announced on Tuesday initial sanctions aimed at the 351 Russian politicians who voted for recognising the two separatist regions in Ukraine, as well as 27 other Russian officials and institutions from the defence and banking sectors. They also sought to limit Moscow’s access to EU capital and financial markets.

    US

    US President Joe Biden has announced economic sanctions on Russia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, sanctioning and freezing Russian banks that together hold around $1 trillion in assets, including state-owned VEB and Promsvyazbank, in what he calls the first tranche of sanctions.

    Canada

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also announced sanctions against 58 Russian individuals and entities in response to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, which he called “a massive threat to security and peace around the world.”

    These sanctions will target members of the Russian elite and their families, security officials, the Wagner group — a private military company — as well as Russian banks, he said, adding that Canada was also cancelling export permits for Russia.

    UK

    Britain’s foreign office on Thursday imposed 50,000 pound limit on Russian nationals’ deposits in UK Banks. This means that Russian nationals will not be allowed to have deposits of more than 50,000 pounds ($66,860) at British banks.

    Three Russian billionaires affected by the sanction include Gennady Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg. The Rotenbergs are co-owners of SGM Group, which makes oil and gas infrastructure. Timchenko is the owner of private investment firm Volga Group.

    In addition, five Russian banks have also been excluded from London’s financial system as part of further sanctions and the UK has banned ban Russia’s Aeroflot and prohibited all dual use export

    Ukraine

    Ukraine’s parliament has approved imposing sanctions on 351 Russians, including lawmakers who supported the recognition of the independence of separatist-controlled territories and the use of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine.

    The sanctions restrict almost all possible types of activities, in particular a ban on entry into Ukraine, prohibit access to assets, capital, property, licenses for business.

    Germany

    German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the halting of the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia – a Baltic Sea gas pipeline which connects mainland Russia with Germany. The deal has been long sought by Moscow but criticised by the US for increasing Europe’s reliance on Russian energy.

    Australia

    Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced the imposition of penalties on Russia’s Security Council for “behaving like thugs and bullies” in connection with the aggression against Ukraine.

    Japan

    Japan says it will announce its sanctions on Russia Friday in the areas of finance and export controls. Japan’s sanctions will include banning the issuance of Russian bonds in Japan and freezing the assets of certain Russian individuals as well as restricting travel to Japan, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

     

  • Ukraine praises ‘painful’ U.S. sanctions on Russia

    Ukraine praises ‘painful’ U.S. sanctions on Russia

    Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, has praised “painful” U.S. sanctions on Russia in response to its military escalation against its neighbour.

    “They’re very specific, they are painful,” Kuleba said at a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

    He said Ukrainian government was “puzzled” by Washington’s Monday sanctions in relation to economic activities in Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine.

    “We were puzzled, because we saw how the side that sought recognition from Russia is being punished but we didn’t see how Russia, who granted its recognition is punished.

    “But we saw it today,” Kuleba said.

    The minister also said there was no such thing as minor, middle, or major invasion, “invasion is an invasion.”

    Meanwhile, Blinken said Putin’s plan had been to invade Ukraine “all along.”

    “Putin’s plan has been to control Ukraine and its people.

    “He plans to destroy Ukraine’s democracy, which offers a stark contrast to the autocracy that he leads, to reclaim Ukraine as a part of Russia,” Blinken said.

  • Invasion of Ukraine: US President Biden announces sanctions on Russia

    Invasion of Ukraine: US President Biden announces sanctions on Russia

    U.S. President Joe Biden, on Tuesday announced first tranche of sanctions on Russia, following its decision to recognise the independence of certain areas of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

    Biden, in a speech from the White House, said the Russian leader had committed “a flagrant violation of international law.”

    According to him, Russia has now undeniably moved against Ukraine by declaring these independent states.

    “So, today, I’m announcing the first tranche of sanctions to impose costs on Russia in response to their actions yesterday (Monday).

    “These have been closely coordinated with our Allies and partners, and we’ll continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.

    “We’re implementing full blocking sanctions on two large Russian financial institutions: V.E.B. and their military bank.

    “We’re implementing comprehensive sanctions on Russian sovereign debt. That means we’ve cut off Russia’s government from Western financing.

    “It can no longer raise money from the West and cannot trade in its new debt on our markets or European markets either.’’

    Biden said the announcement made by Russia meant that it was carving out a big chunk of Ukraine.

    “He’s setting up a rationale to take more territory by force, in my view. This is the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.”

    That served as the trigger for the U.S. to impose sanctions. Biden said, Russia “will pay an even steeper price” if aggressions continue.

    In addition, Biden said that U.S. would also impose sanctions on Russia’s elites and their family members, noting that they shared in the corrupt gains of the Kremlin policies and should share in the pain as well.

    He said because of Russia’s actions, U.S. would work with Germany to ensure owned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline will not — as I promised — will not move forward.

    “As Russia contemplates its next move, we have our next move prepared as well. Russia will pay an even steeper price if it continues its aggression, including additional sanctions.

    “The United States will continue to provide defensive assistance to Ukraine in the meantime. And we’ll continue to reinforce and reassure our NATO Allies.’’

    The U.S. leader said President Vladimir Putin’s has sought authorisation from the Russian parliament to use military force outside of Russian territory.

    “And this set the stage for further pretexts and further provocations by Russia to try to justify further military action.

    “None of us — none of us should be fooled. None of us will be fooled. There is no justification.

    “Further Russian assault into Ukraine remains a severe threat in the days ahead. And if Russia proceeds, it is Russia, and Russia alone, that bears the responsibility.’’

    Russian lawmakers have approved Putin’s request for permission to use Russian troops outside of the country.

    The UN Security Council met late on Monday in an emergency session, with many members condemning the Kremlin’s actions.