The United States has decided to inflict sanctions on 10 entities operating in Russia's naval or marine sectors over, what Washington calls, Moscow's military operations against Ukraine's ports.
"In the wake of Russian naval operations against Ukrainian ports..., the United States today is imposing sanctions on Russian naval entities," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Thursday.
The US State Department identified the designated entities as those operating or having operated in both the defense and related material sector and the marine sector of the Russian economy.
Trying to confront Russia over its ongoing military operation in neighboring Ukraine, the US has so far slapped sanctions against close to 1,100 Russian entities and more than 1,300 Russian individuals.
Russia launched the operation on February 24 with the aim of defending the pro-Russian population in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk against persecution by Kiev.
Back in July, Moscow and Kiev reached an agreement, mediated by the United Nations and Turkey, to resume grain exports from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.
In late October, however, Russia withdrew from the deal, with the Kremlin saying that Ukraine, helped by the British navy "specialists," had launched a drone attack near the Russian Black Sea port of Sevastopol.
Also on Thursday, the US Senate lent its blessing to a legislation authorizing the administration of President Joe Biden to seize the American assets of Russian officials, businessmen, and entities and send the proceeds to Ukraine, Russia Today reported.
South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said the move would raise "billions of dollars" for Kiev. The bill will next head to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to be approved by the Democrat-held chamber.
The United States has so far sent about $50 billion in military assistance to the Kiev government.
On Wednesday, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington on his first post-war trip, the US announced another $1.85 billion from previously budgeted funds for Ukraine, including for the first time the advanced Patriot air system, which is capable of shooting down cruise missiles and short-range ballistic missiles.
Biden vows long-term military support for Ukraine during meeting with Zelensky
Congress also plans to vote on a spending package that includes about an additional $45 billion in so-called "emergency assistance" to Ukraine.
Moscow has warned that slapping Russia with sanctions and pumping Ukraine full of arms would only prolong the conflict in the ex-Soviet republic.
US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is preparing to leave the Trump administration after what a new report has described as months of tension with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, potentially triggering another change at the army’s top echelons.
According to the Friday report by The Wall Street Journal, Driscoll is expected to step down before the end of the year and could leave his post earlier. The newspaper cited people familiar with discussions over his departure.
The Journal reported that Driscoll and his family vacated the official residence assigned to the army secretary at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall this summer, a move that could indicate he was preparing to leave the position.
The reported departure would come at a time of continuing uncertainty at the top echelons of the army.
Hegseth abruptly removed Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George in April, while Trump has not yet nominated a permanent successo....more below
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The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) warns the enemies that any act of aggression against the Islamic Republic will not go unanswered.
In a statement on Thursday, the IRGC issued a “stern warning” to the enemies after US forces launched strikes against the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.
Following the US military attack on a point on the outskirts of Bandar Abbas Airport with aerial projectiles, the IRGC carried out new strikes targeting the US air base from which the attack originated in the wee hours of Thursday, it added.
“This response is a serious warning to the enemy that they should know the act of aggression will not go unanswered,” the IRGC emphasized.
The elite military force warned of a “more decisive” response if the enemy repeated any act of aggression.
It also said the responsibility for the consequences of any IRGC response lies with the aggressor.
The statement comes after the IRGC Navy on Thursday forced an American tanker to turn back. The tanker ...
