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OFAC extends two Ukraine-related general licenses
On March 20, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced it extended the expiration dates of two Ukraine-related general licenses (GLs) by issuing GL 13N, which supersedes GL 13M, and GL 15H, which supersedes GL 15G. Both GLs—which now expire July 22—authorize certain transactions necessary to divest or transfer debt, equity, or other holdings, or wind down operations or existing contracts with a Russian manufacturer previously sanctioned by OFAC in April 2018 (covered by InfoBytes here).
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OFAC, Canada, and the EU sanction Russian-backed officials for Crimean incursion
On January 29, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it took action against seven “Crimean Officials” backed by Russia, and a Russian railway company and its CEO. The announcement states that the officials unilaterally assumed governmental control of the Crimean Peninsula. OFAC designated the officials under Executive Order (E.O.) 13660, in partnership with Canada and the European Union (EU), which both also designated the officials “in a strong demonstration of the international community’s continued condemnation of Russia’s interference in Crimean politics.” According to the announcement, Secretary of the Treasury, Steven T. Mnuchin, asserts that he believes the coordinated designations by OFAC and the two nations may prevent the “illegitimate officials” from doing business internationally. The OFAC designations of the railway company and its CEO for operating in the Crimea Region of Ukraine under E.O. 13685, come shortly after the railway started a passenger route from Russia to the Crimean Peninsula in late December. As a result of the sanctions, “all property and interests in property of these individuals and entity that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC.” OFAC noted that its regulations “generally prohibit” U.S. persons from participating in transactions with the designated persons, and warned foreign persons that if they knowingly facilitate significant transactions for any of the designated persons, they may be designated themselves.
OFAC issues Ukraine-/Russia-related FAQs
On December 20, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), published a new Ukraine-/Russia-related FAQ. FAQ 815 explains that Section 7503 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, or the Protecting Europe’s Energy Security Act of 2019 became effective immediately upon the President signing it on December 20. This section—entitled “Imposition of sanctions with respect to provision of certain vessels for the construction of certain Russian energy export pipelines”—specifies that parties who have knowingly provided vessels engaged in deep sea pipe laying for the Nord Stream 2 or Turkstream pipelines must ensure that such vessels cease such activity as soon as safely possible in order to protect human life and “avoid any environmental or other significant damage.”
OFAC sanctions Russians for aggression against Ukraine
On March 15, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced its decision to sanction six Russian individuals and eight entities, pursuant to Executive Order 13661, for “playing a role in Russia’s unjustified attacks on Ukrainian naval vessels in the Kerch Strait, the purported annexation of Crimea, and backing of illegitimate separatist government elections in eastern Ukraine.” The action complements sanctions imposed the same day by the European Union and Canada as part of a coordinated effort “to counter Russia’s continued destabilizing behavior and malign activities.” As a result, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned individuals and entities, as well as any entities owned 50 percent or more by them, are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from entering into transactions with them.
Visit here for continuing InfoBytes cover of actions related to Russia and Ukraine.
OFAC sanctions individuals connected to Hizballah, IRGC-QF networks in Iraq
On November 13, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against four Hizballah-affiliated individuals for their alleged leadership roles in the group’s terrorist financial activities in Iraq, including providing support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). According to OFAC, the sanctions were issued pursuant to Executive Order 13224, which “targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism.” OFAC’s designations follow the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Amendments Act of 2018—signed into law October 25—along with the reimposition of Iran-related sanctions on November 5 (see previous InfoBytes coverage here), and reinforces U.S. efforts to “protect the international financial system by targeting Hizballah’s supporters, financial networks, and those that facilitate and enable its destabilizing activities worldwide.” Furthermore, OFAC states that the four Specially Designated Global Terrorists are also subject to secondary sanctions under the Hizballah Financial Sanctions Regulations, which implement the Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015, and allows OFAC to “prohibit or impose strict conditions on the opening or maintaining in the [U.S.] of a correspondent account or a payable-through account by a foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transaction for Hizballah.” As a result, all property and interests in property belonging to the identified individuals subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from entering into transactions with them.
Visit here for additional InfoBytes coverage on sanctions involving Hizballah networks.
OFAC sanctions target persons supporting Russia’s “malign activity” in Crimea and eastern Ukraine
On November 8, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced its decision to sanction an additional three individuals and nine entities, pursuant to the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (CAATSA) and Executive Orders (E.O.) 13685 and 13661, for supporting Russia’s occupation of Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine and its continued “malign activity and destabilizing behavior.” According to OFAC, two of the individuals and one of the entities placed on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) allegedly engaged in serious human rights abuses in “territories forcibly occupied or otherwise controlled by Russia” under the Support for the Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and Economic Stability of Ukraine Act of 2014, as amended by CAATSA Section 228. Additionally, pursuant to E.O. 13685, OFAC imposed sanctions on eight entities and one individual allegedly responsible for helping Russia advance its interests by operating in the Crimea region of Ukraine. OFAC further noted that one of the eight entities is also designated for being owned or controlled by, directly or indirectly, a sanctioned Russian bank and a Russian national whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13661. As a result, all property and interests in property belonging to the identified individuals and entities subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from entering into transactions with them.
Visit here for additional InfoBytes coverage on Russia sanctions.
OFAC publishes new Ukraine-related FAQs providing guidance on “maintenance” related to wind-down activities
On September 14, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the publication of two new FAQs to provide additional guidance on “maintenance” as that term is used in General Licenses (GLs) 14, 15, and 16. As previously covered in InfoBytes (see posts here, here, and here), the GLs authorize specified wind-down activities otherwise prohibited by Ukraine-related sanctions regulations. According to OFAC, maintenance “generally includes all transactions and activities ordinarily incident to performing under a contract or agreement in effect prior to April 6, 2018, provided that the level of performance is consistent with the terms of the general license and consistent with past practices that existed between the party and the blocked entity prior to April 6, 2018.”
Visit here for additional InfoBytes coverage on Ukraine/Russia-related sanctions.
OFAC issues Ukraine-/Russia-related General License to extend expiration date
On July 31, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced that it was issuing Ukraine-/Russia-related General License 13C (GL 13C) to replace and supersede General License 13B (GL 13B) in its entirety, and to extend the expiration date through October 23, 2018. (See previous InfoBytes coverage on GL 13B, which was set to expire August 5, here.) GL 13C, which permits the same conduct as GL 13B, authorizes activities that would otherwise be prohibited by the Ukraine-Related Sanctions Regulations. Permissible activities include authorizing certain divestiture transactions with specified blocked persons to a non-U.S. person, and allowing the facilitation of transfers of debt, equity, or other holdings involving listed blocked persons, including entities owned 50 percent or more and issued by the named persons. In accordance with the issuance of GL 13C, OFAC issued updates to relevant FAQs.
Visit here for additional InfoBytes coverage on Ukraine/Russian sanctions.
OFAC issues Ukraine-/Russia-related General Licenses to extend expiration dates
On June 4, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued Ukraine-/Russia-related General License 16 (GL 16) authorizing specified wind-down activities, which would be otherwise prohibited by Ukraine-Related Sanctions Regulations. Permissible activities with the two designated, previously sanctioned companies (and any entity in which either of the two companies has a 50 percent or greater ownership interest, directly or indirectly) apply to operations, contracts, and agreements that were effective prior to April 6. GL 16 extends the wind-down period, which was originally set to expire June 5 under General License 12C (GL 12C), until October 23. (See previous InfoBytes coverage on GL 12C here.)
Earlier on May 31, OFAC issued Ukraine-/Russia-related General License 13B (GL 13B) to replace and supersede General License 13A (GL 13A) in its entirety, and to extend the expiration date through 12:01 a.m. EDT August 5. (See previous InfoBytes coverage on GL 13A, which was set to expire June 6, here.) GL 13B permits the same conduct as GL 13A, including authorizing certain divestiture transactions with specified blocked persons to a non-U.S. person, and allowing the facilitation of transfers of debt, equity, or other holdings involving listed blocked persons, including entities owned 50 percent or more and issued by the named persons.
Visit here for additional InfoBytes coverage on Ukraine/Russian sanctions.
OFAC updates Ukraine-/Russia-related FAQs to address authorized wind-down activities permitted under certain general licenses
On May 25, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) published two additional FAQs to provide additional guidance on authorized wind-down activities outlined within General Licenses (GL) 12C, 14, and 15. (See previous InfoBytes coverage here concerning GL 14 and here for GL 12C and GL 15.) Specifically, the FAQs discuss conditions under which a U.S. person is authorized to receive scheduled principal and interest payments from identified blocked persons for a loan or bond in existence before the April 6 sanctions against Russian oligarchs or entities. The FAQs also address sanction implications for a foreign entity—that is itself not blocked—who pays dividends to a blocked person holding less than 50 percent equity interest.
Visit here for additional InfoBytes coverage on Ukraine/Russian sanctions.