U.S. tightens sanctions on Belarus, Lukashenko regime

Aug. 9 (UPI) -- The U.S. Treasury Department Friday tightened sanctions on Belarus's military support for Russia and the Lukashenko regime. Nineteen individuals and 14 entities were sanctioned.

The sanctions include Lukashenko's luxury airliner, a Boeing 767-32K.

" This action targets persons involved in supporting Russia's war in Ukraine through military resource production and trans-shipment of goods to Russia, sanctions evasion on behalf of Belarusian defense entities, and revenue generation for Belarusian oligarchs in Alyaksandr Lukashenko's inner circle," a Treasury Department statement said.

Treasury said that, in the wake of the fraudulent August 2020 presidential election, Lukashenko "resorted to brutal crackdowns on peaceful protesters, democratic organizations, and journalists in order to illegitimately retain power."

The Lukashenko regime, Treasury officials said, continues to support Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine by hosting Russian military bases and allowing Russian forces to stage military operations from Belarus.

"As Belarus marks another year under Lukashenko's rule, the regime's blatantly corrupt, destabilizing, and anti-democratic acts-along with its continued support for Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine-have only further ostracized Belarus from the global community," Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith said in a statement.

The U.S. State Department issued a joint statement Friday with the European Union, Britain and Canada expressing solidarity with the people of Belarus pressing for democratic change and human rights against the Lukashenka regime.

"We call on Belarusian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the almost 1,400 political prisoners being held in Belarusian prisons," the joint statement said. "We will continue to consider our options, including additional sanctions, to hold accountable those who enable the Lukashenko regime's suppression of democracy in Belarus."

The statement added that the countries will continue to take steps to cut off the flow "of crucial support and components through Belarus that fuel Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine, while maintaining our support for the Belarusian people."

Among the entities sanctioned by the Treasury Department were Peleng JSC, described as one of Russia's most important industrial partners in Belarus producing components for spacecraft, satellites, and sights with thermal imagers for military vehicles.

LAT, a company providing components to companies that produce weapons for Russia was sanctioned along with its director Yuri Aleksandrovich Chivel.

Component maker Ruchservomotor and two of its directors -- Aliaksandr Uladzimiravich Zharski and Siarhei Mikalaevich Sidaruk -- were sanctioned. The company produces sights for T-72 and T-90 Russian tanks.

Also sanctioned were Belarus manufacturers AlYurTekh and its deputy director, Aleksey Nikolaevich Yavorski; ALC Diskoms and its deputy director, Arkady Samuilovich Dimenshtein; MOT and its commercial director, Viktoriya Orestovna Savruk; Grosver Grup and its representative, Siarhei Uladzimiravich Kastsianok; and Tochnaya Mekhanika and its director, Aleksandr Mikolaevich Leschanka.

The Treasury Department sanctioned two private Belarusian cargo airline companies -- Rada and Rubistar -- for providing support to Russian military activities, including support for Wagner mercenaries.

Two Rada directors -- Dmitry Olegovich Ishchenko and Ivan Nikolaevich Nareiko -- were also sanctioned, along with Rubistar Belarusian Director Evgeniy Ivanovich Mikholap.

Defense sector companies Joint Stock Company Plant Legmash and KB Unmanned Helicopters were included in the sanctions.