US sanctions Chinese firm for helping Russian group Wagner in Ukraine
Jan 30, 2023
Washington [US], January 30 : The United States imposed sanctions on a Chinese company for sending satellite imagery orders from locations in Ukraine to Russia's Wagner Group, according to the statement released by the US Department of the Treasury.
The Treasury Department and the State Department, on Thursday, imposed sanctions on the Wagner group.
"As sanctions and export controls on Russia from our international coalition continue to bite, the Kremlin is desperately searching for arms and support, including through the brutal Wagner Group, to continue its unjust war against Ukraine," said Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen.
The Wagner Group is a Russian private military company led by Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a Putin crony and the target of multiple US sanctions.
Wagner Group has been involved in Kremlin-backed combat operations around the world in support of Putin's war on Ukraine. As Russia's military has struggled on the battlefield, Putin has resorted to relying on the Wagner Group to continue his war of choice.
"Today's expanded sanctions on Wagner, as well as new sanctions on their associates and other companies enabling the Russian military complex, will further impede Putin's ability to arm and equip his war machine," she added.
In the statement, the Treasury Department said that Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute Co. LTD (Spacety China), a People's Republic of China (PRC)-based entity, has provided Terra Tech synthetic aperture radar satellite imagery orders over locations in Ukraine.
These images were gathered in order to enable Wagner's combat operations in Ukraine. In addition, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today took action against Spacety Luxembourg SA (Spacety Luxembourg), Spacety China's Luxembourg-based subsidiary.
Joint Stock Company Research and Production Concern BARL (AO BARL) is a Russian space company supporting Russia's military activities in Ukraine. AO BARL has shared foreign high-resolution satellite imagery with Russia's military, as per the statement.
Terra Tech and AO BARL are being designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy. Spacety China is being designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to, or in support of Terra Tech.
Spacety Luxembourg is being designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for being owned or controlled by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Spacety China, the statement added.
