The USA is introducing new sanctions against over 300 individuals or organisations in Russia, China, and other countries, accused of supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Among those specifically mentioned are the Moscow Exchange and three designated projects related to Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The idea, according to the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, is to further disrupt and impair Russia's war efforts by closing "the remaining avenues for foreign material" to Russia.
Furthermore, the USA is expanding its previous sanctions against Russian banks and companies by warning that foreign financial institutions dealing with them may be subject to so-called secondary sanctions.
"We are increasing the risks for financial institutions that are part of Russia's war economy and removing ways to circumvent (sanctions) and thereby reducing Russia's ability to benefit from foreign technology, equipment, software, and IT services," says Yellen in her statement.
Russia responded immediately after the announcement, introducing a long list of "aggressive" sanctions against the USA, according to the Russian state news agency Tass.
The sanctions were announced on the eve of the G7 countries meeting in Italy, where they will, among other things, discuss how to use frozen Russian assets to the benefit of Ukraine.
