United States exposes a network that helps Russian military-industrial complex circumvent sanctions

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Wednesday announced that it had exposed a network of 10 individuals and 12 legal entities that helped Russia maintain the military-industrial complex in circumvention of sanctions and imposed restrictions on these individuals.

Source: European Pravda; the US Department of the Treasury

According to the US Department of the Treasury, the network is headed by Russia- and Cyprus-based arms dealer Igor Zimenkov. Members in the Zimenkov network participated in projects related to the Russian military-industrial complex; in particular, they supplied high-tech devices to the Russian Federation after the start of a full-scale aggression against Ukraine.

Some members of the Zimenkov network also served the sanctioned state-owned Russian defence enterprises such as Rosoboronexport and the State Corporation for Assistance to Development (Rostec), which are key components of the Russian military-industrial complex.

According to the US Treasury, Igor Zimenkov and his son Jonathan conducted direct correspondence with Russian defence companies that fell under US sanctions and participated in numerous transactions for the sale of Russian cybersecurity equipment and helicopters abroad.

In addition, Igor Zimenkov supported the military-industrial complex of Belarus, assisting the sanctioned Belarusian Defence Enterprise Belspetsvneshtechnika (also under US sanctions) in sales in Latin America.

The Zimenkov network used shell companies to pump money while trying to maintain its legal appearance. It includes the Singapore company Asia Trading & Construction PTE Limited, which sold Russian helicopters to Latin America on behalf of Rostec, as well as Russian Texel F.C.G. Technology 2100 Limited, GBD Limited and some Cypriot legal entities.

All of them, as well as their leaders, were subject to US sanctions. In total, as part of the anti-evasion strategy, the US Treasury Department has imposed restrictions on more than 100 individuals and legal entities over the past year.

Last week, the United States imposed additional sanctions against some companies in the Russian military-industrial complex, as well as oligarchs and officials close to the Russian President involved in the aggression against Ukraine.

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