The U.S. has lifted sanctions on seven Russians and two ships: the full list
25 June 05:44
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has updated its sanctions lists, removing seven Russian citizens, two Russian cargo ships, and two companies registered in Turkey. This was reported on the agency’s website , according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
The agency did not explain why these individuals and assets were removed from the list of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN).
Which Russians Were Removed from U.S. Sanctions
The list of Russian citizens removed from the sanctions list includes:
- Ivan Potanin;
- German Bilous;
- Mikhail Klyukin;
- Irina Kremleva;
- Viktor Nikolaev;
- Nadiya Cherkasova;
- Maksym Smirnov.
Some of these individuals were associated with major Russian banks that had previously been subject to U.S. sanctions.
Ivan Potanin
Ivan Potanin is the son of Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin, who headed the mining and metallurgical company Norilsk Nickel.
In the OFAC sanctions designation, Ivan Potanin was listed as a person associated with Vladimir Potanin.
The removal of his name from the SDN list means that U.S. blocking sanctions imposed specifically on the basis of that designation no longer apply to him.
Bankers Removed from the SDN List
Several individuals removed from the sanctions list are associated with the Russian financial sector.
German Bilous served as deputy chairman of the board of Novikombank.
Mikhail Klyukin was associated with Sovcombank and served on its supervisory boards.
Irina Kremleva, Viktor Nikolaev, and Nadezhda Cherkasova were associated with FC Otkritie Bank. This financial institution was subject to U.S. sanctions following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Maksim Smirnov was also on the list. The new OFAC announcement does not provide a specific explanation for why the restrictions on him were lifted.
The U.S. has lifted sanctions on two Russian vessels
In addition to individuals, OFAC removed two Russian-flagged multipurpose dry cargo ships from the sanctions list:
- “Gennady Yegorov”;
- “Vyacheslav Arshinov.”
The “Gennady Egorov” has IMO number 9945124, and the “Vyacheslav Arshinov” has IMO number 9945136.
Both dry cargo ships were linked to the Russian State Transport Leasing Company. They had previously been added to the U.S. sanctions list pursuant to an executive order that allows for the restriction of assets belonging to individuals and organizations associated with the Russian economy and government entities.
Which Turkish companies were removed from the list
OFAC also lifted sanctions against two companies registered in Turkey:
- IDA Asansor Sanayii ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi;
- DEIN Danismanlik Pazarlama ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi.
IDA Asansor operates in the production and supply of elevator equipment. The company was added to the U.S. sanctions list on charges of supplying products to Russia and supporting Russian industry.
The second company—DEIN Danismanlik Pazarlama ve Ticaret—is registered in Istanbul. It has now also been removed from the list of sanctioned individuals and entities.
Why the U.S. Lifted the Sanctions
The official statement from the U.S. Treasury Department does not specify the reasons for revising the sanctions status of seven Russian citizens, two vessels, and two Turkish companies.
OFAC may remove individuals or companies from the lists following:
- an appeal of the sanctions decision;
- a change in ownership or control;
- the cessation of the activities that led to the imposition of restrictions;
- providing evidence of compliance with established requirements;
- correction or clarification of information;
- a specific political or administrative decision.
However, in this particular case, the U.S. agency did not specify which mechanism served as the basis for lifting the restrictions.
What Does Removal from the SDN List Mean?
The SDN list is maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Inclusion on the list typically entails the freezing of assets within U.S. jurisdiction and a prohibition on U.S. citizens and companies from conducting transactions with sanctioned entities.
Upon removal from the list, these blocking restrictions cease to apply to a specific individual, company, or vessel, provided they are not subject to other sanctions.
At the same time, the removal of a single entry from the list does not always mean the complete lifting of all possible restrictions. An individual or company may remain subject to sanctions imposed by other countries or appear on other U.S. sanctions lists.
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