Biden administration launches task force to enforce Russia sanctions

The US government on Wednesday launched a new task force intending to enforce sweeping sanctions imposed on Russian officials over the simmering crisis in Ukraine.

Known as "KleptoCapture", the task force aims to squeeze the finances of Russian officials as part of efforts to force Russia to end its week-long military intervention in the former Soviet republic.

The task force, comprising interagency law enforcement officers from the FBI, Marshals Service, IRS, Postal Inspection, Homeland Security Investigations, and Secret Service, will aim at “Russian officials, government-aligned elites, and those who aid or conceal their unlawful conduct”, according to Attorney General, Merrick Garland.

Tensions have heightened between Washington and Moscow over the latter’s military operation in Ukraine, which entered its 7th day on Wednesday.

The operation has prompted the US and its NATO allies to impose harsh sanctions on Kremlin, not even sparing President Vladimir Putin and his senior ministers and aides.

Garland, in a statement, said the task force will be dedicated to enforcing sanctions, export restrictions, and economic countermeasures meant to freeze Russia’s market.

“The Justice Department will use all of its authorities to seize the assets of individuals and entities who violate these sanctions,” he said in the statement.

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Russia would face a "real danger" if Kiev acquired nuclear weapons, Sergei Lavrov has said.

“We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to investigate, arrest and prosecute those whose criminal acts enable the Russian government to continue this unjust war,” the official added.

Deputy Attorney General, Lisa Monaco, who has been tasked to oversee the task force, said in a statement, “oligarchs be warned: we will use every tool to freeze and seize your criminal proceeds.”

"To those bolstering the Russian regime through corruption and sanctions evasion: we will deprive you of safe haven and hold you accountable,” she asserted.

The announcement came hours after President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night.

"Tonight, I say to the Russian oligarchs and corrupt leaders who have bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime 'no more,'" Biden said in the address. "We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts your luxury apartments your private jets. We are coming for your ill-begotten gains."

Notably Biden announces tonight that DOJ is assembling a dedicated task force to go after the crimes of the Russian oligarchs. He says the US will work with European allies "to find and seize" oligarchs' yachts, luxury apartments & their private jets.

— Kylie Atwood (@kylieatwood) March 2, 2022

He further said the US Department of Justice was “assembling a dedicated task force to go after the crimes of Russian oligarchs”, adding that his administration was “coming for your ill-begotten gains.”

According to reports, the US State Department Antony Blinken discussed the new task force with his Ukrainian counterpart on Wednesday.

The task force will be run from Monaco's office, and will be responsible for investigating and prosecuting violations of sanctions, reports said.

Wave of Sanctions

Following Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine last week, a massive wave of sanctions by the US and the European Union have threatened to leave Russia more isolated and economically cut off.

On Tuesday, Western giants Nike and Apple closed their online stores in Russia, which came after the world's biggest shipping lines, MSC and Maersk, suspended their container shipping to and from Russia.

Airplane companies Boeing and Airbus have both already stopped supplying spare parts to Russian airlines, and many countries have blocked their airspace to Russian airplanes.

Biden announces ban on Russian flights from US airspace

President Joe Biden has announced that the United States will ban Russian aircraft from US airspace, joining an increasing number of countries that are closing their skies to Russia.

The value of Russia’s ruble has plummeted to a new low, with people making long queues in front of ATMs to withdraw cash out of fear and concern.

In retaliation, the Kremlin has banned all Russian nationals from transferring foreign currency abroad and ordered exporters to exchange 80 percent of their foreign currency proceeds for rubles.

Russia has put up a tough front, continuing to defend the military operation. It says Western arms supplies to Kiev demonstrated that Moscow was right to seek demilitarization of its neighbor.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov at a news briefing on Monday slammed the EU for its hostile behavior towards Russia, stressing that the bloc's arms supplies to Ukraine were "dangerous and destabilizing."

President Putin announced what he termed a "special military operation" last week, aimed at “demilitarization” of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics in eastern Ukraine, together known as Donbas.

The regions broke away from Ukraine in 2014 after refusing to recognize a Western-backed Ukrainian government that had overthrown a democratically-elected, pro-Moscow administration.

Putin said the mission was aimed at “defending people who for eight years are suffering persecution and genocide by the Kiev regime.”

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