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U.S. Sanctions Legislation Targets Russia While EU and U.S. Expand Crimea Sanctions

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Ukraine Freedom Support Act

The enactment of the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014 starts the timeline for the following new extraterritorial sanctions:

  • Sanctions on Rosoboronexport (effective January 17, 2015) – The President is required to impose three or more sanctions from the list of options below. Rosoboronexport is the sole state broker and exporter/importer of Russian defense products. Despite the President’s stated intent not to use the sanctions authorized under the act, it is not clear how he will be able to avoid the requirement of this mandatory provision.
  • Arms-Related Activities in Syria, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova (effective February 1, 2015) – The President is required to impose three or more sanctions from the list of options below against Russian and Russian-owned or controlled parties who are determined to produce, transfer or broker sales of defense articles to these countries without the support of their internationally recognized governments or who provide support for these activities. Although nominally mandatory, the determination with regard to parties is discretionary, giving the President flexibility to apply this provision.
  • Investment in Crude Oil Projects (effective February 1, 2015) – The President is authorized to impose three or more sanctions from the list of options below on foreign persons that are determined to have knowingly made a significant investment in a “special Russian crude oil project,” which includes Russian deepwater, arctic offshore, and shale formation projects “intended to extract crude oil.” The U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments have interpreted similar language to include gas projects that may produce oil.
  • Foreign Financial Institutions (effective June 16, 2015) – Sanctions may be imposed on foreign financial institutions that knowingly (a) engage in significant transactions with parties sanctioned under this statute, or (b) facilitate significant financial transactions on behalf of Russian Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) designated under Ukraine-related sanctions. The sanctions authorized for such activities are prohibitions or restrictions on opening or maintaining correspondent and payable-through accounts in the United States.

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