The Biden administration is set to impose sanctions on a Turkish national and five Turkish businesses after they were accused of supporting Russia and helping the country circumvent other sanctions amidst its ongoing war with Ukraine, said a senior Treasury Department official September 13.
The designations, which include accusations of trade and shipping companies helping to repair sanctioned vessels tied to Russia as well as the transfer of “dual-use goods,” will be part of a bigger package targeting Russia with sanctions expected for more than 150 entities, according to Reuters. The broader package of sanctions will focus on Russia’s technology suppliers, industrial base and maritime sector.
The U.S. designated Margiana Insaat Dis Ticaret and Demirci Bilisim Ticaret Sanayi following accusations that the companies were among those that provided Russia with dual-use goods. The State Department will enforce sanctions on Denkar Ship Construction for repairing sanctioned Russian vessels. The designations will also target CTL Limited, ID Ship Agency and its owner Ilke Dogruyol, which served as an intermediary for shipping electronic components to Russia.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, multiple high-ranking U.S. officials have paid visits to Turkey as part of a pressure campaign to prevent firms from aiding Russia and helping the country get around recently imposed sanctions.
“For the past 18 months, we’ve shared our concerns with the Turkish government and private sector and informed them of the significant risks of doing business with those we’ve sanctioned who are tied to Russia’s war,” said a senior U.S. Treasury official who spoke anonymously. “These designations reflect our ongoing commitment to target individuals and entities who provide material support to sanctioned entities.”
