Russian economy pressured as hundreds more added to US blacklist

Russian economy pressured as hundreds more added to US blacklist

The United States added hundreds more companies and individuals to its sanctions blacklist Friday as it broadened efforts to choke of Russia's global supply chains and starve its economy over its war on Ukraine.

The new sanctions took particular aim at the firms and research institutes involved in Moscow's investments into future energy production including plans for exploiting Artic resources.

They also sought to shut down networks for acquiring restricted technologies that operated surreptitiously out of Liechtenstein, India, Finland, Estonia, and the Netherlands, and Russian financial networks operating out of Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.

And they targeted companies supplying components that Russia needs to produce its Orlan reconnaissance drone, including a Chinese firm.

In all about 300 individuals, companies, institutes, ships and aircraft involved in alleged sanctions-violating activities were added to US Treasury and State Department blacklists.

The announcement came in parallel with the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where leaders vowed to increase global economic pressure on Moscow to end its unprovoked 15-month-old invasion of Ukraine.

"Today's actions will further tighten the vise on (Russia President Vladimir) Putin's ability to wage his barbaric invasion," said US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

"Our collective efforts have cut Russia off from key inputs it needs to equip