US sanctions Vyacheslav Ruksha and Rosatom’s Arctic businesses
In his last week of work, US President Joe Biden imposes sanctions on Russia’s state atomic energy corporation Rosatom for its development of weapons systems, including for the use in the war against Ukraine. Deputy director of the Northern Sea Route Directorate, Vyacheslav Ruksha, is one of the 14 top officials now under sanctions.
The Biden administration on Friday announced a new lists of sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector, including Rosatom and several of its subsidiaries.
Among the 14 top officials in the list is Vyacheslav Ruksha, the strongman who in 2018 was appointed to be charge of the Northern Sea Route between Asia and Europe.
Vyacheslav Rukhsa has a background as Director of the Murmansk Shipping company from the days in the 1990s when the shipping company was in charge of operating the nuclear icebreakers. Later, he moved to Moscow to take the position as Deputy Minister of Transport. In 2008, Ruksha moved back to Murmansk and became Director of Atomflot.
He is well known for playing a central role in the nuclear safety projects carried out in the Murmansk region with economical and technical assistance from the EU, USA and Norway in the years following the end of the Cold War.
Millions of euros in Western aid to Russia’s work on securing radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel have over the years been coordinated with Ruksha in charge.
Oleg Kryukov, the Director for public policy on radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, is also among those sanctioned by the Biden administration on Friday.
With Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, all nuclear safety cooperation ended.
The U.S. Department of States says it will “continue to use all tools at its disposal to disrupt support for Russia’s military-industrial base and curtail the Kremlin’s ability to exploit the international financial system and generate revenue in furtherance of its war against Ukraine.”
According to the State Department, Rosatom leaders have publicly said the company’s enterprises are developing weapons systems, including for the war against Ukraine.
“Rosatom subsidiaries have provided the Russian defense industry with military-applicable armaments, components, and advanced technologies to further Russia’s war against Ukraine.”
Nearly 70 Rosatom entities and individuals are now sanctioned by the United States.
The company says in a comment that the sanctions are “unlawful” and “unfair”.
“For nearly three years, we have operated under growing sanctions pressure, adapting successfully and remaining prepared for any scenario. Rosatom continues to meet all its commitments to partners in full,” the statement says.
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