Biden hits over 500 Russian targets with sanctions after Navalny’s death on anniversary of Ukraine war

Sanctions come after days after the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny

On the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, president Joe Biden announced more than 500 new sanctions would be placed against Russia in part for the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the continued war against Ukraine.

The sanctions include export restrictions on nearly 100 entities for providing “backdoor support” to Russia and actions to reduce the country’s energy revenues. They are additional sanctions to the ones the US has placed on Russia since they first invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

“These sanctions will target individuals connected to Navalny’s imprisonment as well as Russia’s financial sector, defense industrial base, procurement networks and sanctions evaders across multiple continents,” Mr Biden said in a White House press release.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Navalny died while being imprisoned in an Arctic penal colony. His death, which world leaders have attributed to Russian president Vladimir Putin, has sparked outrage across the world.

Joe Biden meets with Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Kremlin opposition leader Alexei Navalny (Getty)

The US joins the UK and European Union in issuing sanctions following Navalny’s death. This week, the UK announced it would place sanctions on companies linked to Russia’s ammunition supply chain and individuals tied to the prison where Navalny died. The EU has banned more than 150 individuals and businesses that have assisted Russia in obtaining weapons.

Mr Biden said that the sanctions will “ensure Putin pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home”.

In his statement, the president urged the House of Representatives to support a bipartisan national security supplemental bill to provide Ukraine with further aid.

Bickering in Congress has led to a halt in US assistance to Ukraine as they continue to fight Russian forces. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasised the need for further aid to his country or else they will be unable to defend their country and more lives will be lost.

“History is watching. The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will not be forgotten. Now is the time for us to stand strong with Ukraine and stand united with our Allies and partners,” Mr Biden said.

“Now is the time to prove that the United States stands up for freedom and bows down to no one.”