The U.S. government announced that it would announce “significant sanctions” on the 23rd (local time) in relation to the mysterious death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
John Kirby, U.S. White House national security communications adviser, said in an online press briefing on the 20th, “Under the instructions of President Joe Biden, we plan to announce a major sanctions package this Friday (23rd) to hold Russia accountable for what happened to Navalny.” revealed.
“Navalny is a person who courageously stood up to the corruption and violence committed by the Putin government,” Kirby said, adding, “No matter what the Russian government decides to tell the world, it is clear that President Putin and his administration are responsible for his death.” did.
He explained, “This package is not only designed to hold Putin accountable for the war in Ukraine over the past two years, but is also a series of additional sanctions related to Navalny’s death.”
They said they would not disclose specific details in advance. Additional sanctions are expected to cover Russia’s defense industry and economic sectors.
According to the Associated Press, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan hinted, “It will be a practical package that encompasses various elements of the Russian defense industry and economic revenue sources that power the Russian war machine, aggression, and repression.”
The United States, along with its allies, has already placed thousands of Russians and companies on a sanctions list and frozen the funds of the Russian Central Bank. Several layers of sanctions are being imposed, including banning the import of some Russian products, blocking Russian banks’ access to the global financial trading system SWIFT, and imposing a price cap on Russian crude oil.
Russian correctional authorities announced on the 16th that Navalny, who was imprisoned in a Siberian prison, died suddenly. The Russian government claims it was not involved in Navalny’s death, but suspicions continue that the circumstances of his death are unclear.
Park Tae-geun,
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.