The Russian authorities are taking measures in case of maximum tightening of US sanctions

25

Российские власти принимают меры на случай максимального ужесточения санкций США

In the Kremlin and the government do not rule out that the United States will soon announce the most rigid variant of sanctions against Russia. The authorities are preparing for such an eventuality, reported by informed sources.

As told by two Federal officials, in particular, are considered actions in the case of sanctions against the national debt and Russia off from the SWIFT system. It is also assumed that blocking sanctions Washington could use against the largest Russian banks – “Sberbank” and VTB.

According to sources, develop countermeasures in response to the remediation of the negative scenario, the Russian authorities began to publish in January, “the Kremlin report.”

Earlier the U.S. permanent representative to the UN, Nikki Haley said that new sanctions against Russia will be introduced on Monday, April 16. It was assumed that the restrictive measures taken against companies that dealt with equipment related to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and the alleged use by the Syrian authorities of chemical weapons. However, before the press Secretary of the White house Sarah Sanders announced that the decision on new sanctions against Russia still pending.

According to RBC, the Russian authorities are considering two options for a possible us sanctions against the sovereign debt of Russia. The first is to invest in bonds (OFZ) will only prohibit us investors. The second, tougher option – a ban on the purchase of Russian debt would bear the extraterritorial nature, actually also spreading to foreign (including Russian) of legal entities currently, foreign investors hold more than one-third of Russian debt.

As protection measures the possibility of creating a special Bank for the purchase of Russian debt and the implementation of steps that will allow you to “close” the names of those who buy Russian debt. That Russia should be prepared for the introduction of U.S. restrictions on investment in Russian debt, the day before on the sidelines of the Krasnoyarsk economic forum, said Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich.

Specialized banks for the service of the state defense order has already been created on the basis of sanitized “PSB”, and the classifying of the public information is used increasingly for protection against the sanctions, said RBC. Another measure of “attract money of the population” through the sale of citizens OFZ – was discussed back in January, the source said.

In addition, the leadership of the country still does not exclude that it can reach up to off Russia from interbank SWIFT financial communications, said two Federal officials. Such a possibility has been discussed for several years, beginning with the annexation of Crimea to Russia.

In the Kremlin and the government feared that the shutdown of Russia from SWIFT may lead to the collapse of the Russian banking system and stop of external calculations, especially for gas supplies. In this case Moscow is considering the possibility to make external payments through agents, so-called bridge companies (intermediary companies), the source said.

Serious trouble Moscow is an option to block the largest Russian banks, primarily Sberbank and VTB, told a close to the presidential administration the source of RBC. Now both banks are under the sectoral sanctions. However, the prohibition on correspondent accounts in the United States or entry into the SDN list (Specially Designated Nationals) is much more stringent measure, which will make it virtually impossible for international operations.

 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here