New sanctions target supplies of chemicals that are “potentially useful” for the country’s military
Over the conflict in Ukraine the US has placed additional sanctions on Russia, its ally Belarus, and restricted exports of various chemicals including the powerful, synthetic opioid Fentanyl. This was made public by the US Commerce Department Friday.
“In response to the Russian Federation’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the Department of Commerce is expanding the existing sanctions against Russia and Belarus by imposing new export controls,” the department’s Bureau of Industry and Security said in a statement.
These restrictions are targeted at different groups “lower-level”Washington considers chemicals to be “potentially useful” for Russia’s “production capabilities”Use chemical weapons.
These chemicals are therefore “may be useful”Moscow will support the country’s efforts “military aggression,”According to the department.
This list contains fentanyl and other powerful synthetic opioids, along with its derivatives. This chemical is most commonly used as an illegal drug. The US is also suffering from its widespread use. Official statistics show that fentanyl overdoses caused 71,000 deaths in 2021.
Russia’s stockpile of chemical weapons, which it inherited from Soviet Union, has been destroyed. Russia long maintains that they do not possess them nor are seeking to acquire them.
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