By Rabia Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - The US announced sanctions Thursday against 118 individuals and entities tied to Russia’s financial sector, including Gazprombank, the country’s largest remaining bank yet to be blocked by Washington.
The sanctions announced by the Treasury Department also target dozens of additional Russian banks and banking officials.
"Today’s action reaffirms the U.S. commitment to curtail Russia’s ability to use the international financial system to conduct its war against Ukraine and disrupts Russia’s attempts to make cross-border payments for dual-use goods and military materiel," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.
The announcement came amid reports that the Biden administration authorized Ukraine to use long-range US missiles to target deep within Russia.
US officials have not confirmed nor denied the reports.
The development follows reports about North Korea sending troops to support Moscow’s war effort. A senior US official said the move also is to deter North Korean involvement in Russia's war on Ukraine, which was launched in February 2022.
Russia's Defense Ministry claimed Tuesday that it intercepted six US-supplied ATACMS missiles above the Bryansk region. If confirmed, it would mark Ukraine's first use of the long-range missiles since the war began.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would not confirm or deny Kyiv's involvement in the missile launches.