U.S. Imposes Additional Costs on Russia for Aleksey Navalny Poisoning

Ned Price, Department Spokesperson

The United States, in concert with the United Kingdom, is imposing additional costs on the Russian Federation on the one-year anniversary of the poisoning of Russian opposition figure Aleksey Navalny with a Novichok nerve agent.

As the United Kingdom and the United States reaffirmed , we condemn the August 2020 assassination attempt on Mr. Navalny and subsequent actions intended to stop his efforts to criticize the Russian government, including his imprisonment in January 2021.

Our actions today – exercised by the U.S. Departments of State, the Treasury, Justice and Commerce – send a clear signal that there will be no impunity for the use of chemical weapons, including for the individuals and organizations involved. Any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and contravenes international norms.  The United States calls upon Russia to comply with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

As part of today’s actions, the Department of State is imposing a second round of sanctions on Russia under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act (CBW Act). These include a restriction on the permanent importation of firearms or ammunition manufactured or located in Russia pursuant to new or pending permit applications as well as further restrictions on nuclear and missile-related technology exports to Russia.

The Departments of State and the Treasury will also designate nine Russian individuals and four entities, including operatives involved in poisoning Mr. Navalny and entities that have developed Russia’s chemical weapons capabilities.

For more information on today’s action, please see the Department of State’s fact sheet and the Department of the Treasury press release on today’s action.