New US anti-Russia sanctions

(RT) ⸻ The US on Friday sanctioned dozens of companies, individuals and ships "linked" to Russia, along with raising tariffs on Russian goods whose import Washington still allows. The measures are designed to "further degrade Russia's economy and diminish its ability to wage war against Ukraine," and apply to not just Russians, but third-country actors across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The Treasury Department's sanctions targeted 83 entities and 22 individuals, of which more than 30 are "third-country individuals and companies connected to Russia's sanctions evasion efforts." Among them were Marat Savelov and Olga Raykes, Russian-Israeli nationals who founded the financial services company Confideri and the Austrian-based Vend Ore GmbH, both now sanctioned for "operating or having operated in the financial services sector" of the Russian economy. Other names that stood out on the sanctions list were TV host Olga Skabeeva and the Sparta battalion of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) armed forces. The US and its allies accused Russia of an "unprovoked, unjustified invasion" of Ukraine last year.