The US Treasury added two Russians to the sanctions list

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury has added to its sanctions list two citizens of Russia, reported in the department’s press office.

The register was replenished by Yegor Popov and Aleksey Sukhodolov, who, according to the Ministry of Finance, are employees of the “2nd service of the FSB.” In April, the US Department of Justice accused their involvement in the interference in the US elections in St. Petersburg (Florida). According to the agency, they secretly financed and directed the political campaign of “a specific candidate for local elected office” in the city.

In addition, the Ministry of Justice called Alexander Ionov involved in the interference in the election of the President of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia. Summer 2022 Ionova accused participating in a multi-year campaign of foreign malign influence that used various US political groups to sow discord, spread pro-Russian sentiment, propaganda, and interfere in US elections. Then its also made blacklisted by the US Treasury. In addition to him, there were three organizations associated with him on this list, including the Anti-Globalization Movement.

Today’s press release also mentions the alleged complicity of Popov, Sukhodulov and Ionov. According to the Ministry of Finance, Popov was Ionov’s curator, while Sukhodulov was “head of the 2nd service of the FSB.”

Sukhodolov also worked with Ionov to conduct malign influence operations abroad around the world, including in the US, Ukraine, Spain, the UK and Ireland. <...> Ionov also briefed Sukhodolov on his activities, including his role as a consultant in US local elections.

The US Treasury replenishes the sanctions register regularly. In April, the department included more than 30 individuals and several dozen organizations from the Russian Federation and other countries are blacklisted (SDN-list). Then, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Marat Khusnullin, co-owners of the USM holding founded by Alisher Usmanov (the company itself was also on the register) Vladimir and Varvara Skoch and others fell under the restrictions. Among the organizations, in particular, were “Megaphone”, “Metalloinvest”, International Investment Bank (IIB).