WASHINGTON, Aug 23, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The United States unveiled sweeping sanctions Friday against almost 400 individuals and companies tied to Russia's war in Ukraine, a day before Ukraine's independence day.
 
  The moves announced by the US Treasury, State and Commerce departments build on a raft of existing sanctions against Russia over the invasion, which is now well into its third year.
 
  "Russia has turned its economy into a tool in service of the Kremlin's military-industrial complex," Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a statement.
 
  "Treasury's actions today continue to implement the commitments made by President Biden and his G7 counterparts to disrupt Russia's military-industrial base supply chains and payment channels," he added.
 
  The sanctions target nearly 400 individuals and entities both inside and outside of Russia "whose products and services enable Russia to sustain its war effort and evade sanctions," the department announced in the statement.
 
  Among those sanctioned were 60 Russia-based defense and technology firms "critical for the sustainment and development of Russia's defense industry," it added.
 
  The State Department said in a separate statement that it was responsible for 190 of the sanctions, and that Treasury was responsible for close to 200 others.
 
  It added that its designations "aim to disrupt sanctions evasion and target entities in multiple third countries," including China, along with businesses supporting the development of Russian energy projects.
 
  Alongside the sanctions unveiled Friday, the US Commerce Department announced it was taking "aggressive action" to further restrict the supply of items made in the United States, or labeled as such, to both Russia and Belarus, due to "the Kremlin's illegal war on Ukraine."
 
  "Today's actions will further constrain Russia's ability to arm its military by targeting illicit procurement networks designed to circumvent global export controls," the department said in a statement.