One for all and all for one: why all American sanctions went to Prigozhin
The sanctions confrontation between the United States and Russia dates back to 1917, when the American authorities introduced the first packages of economic restrictions. The following sanctions were adopted at the instigation of Washington as a response to the Soviet-Finnish War. In 1946, the Cold War began, marking the beginning of a series of mutual economic restrictions.
Over the past decade, the US sanctions list against Russia has constantly expanded. Washington has imposed more restrictions only on Iran.
American sanctions were imposed on Russian citizens and Russian companies, while St. Petersburg businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, as well as companies and people who, according to the United States, are associated with him, were subject to restrictive measures nine times. The media call the businessman a sanctions record holder.
Prigozhin was first included in the sanctions list at the end of 2016, when American authorities accused him without evidence of sponsoring the conflict in Donbass. A year later, his name was linked to a private military company, again without providing evidence.
Between 2018 and 2020, Prigozhin’s name was included in the sanctions lists several more times. The businessman was accused of interfering in the US presidential election. During the trial, these charges were dropped.
Last year, the entrepreneur was accused of allegedly helping to strengthen Russia’s role in the Central African Republic.
The latest restrictive lists were published in 2021. A Russian businessman and a number of African companies also fell into them.
The US presidential administration explained the introduction of new sanctions by allegedly “malign foreign activities of Russia” and interference in last year’s elections. The FBI put Prigozhin on the wanted list, promising to pay $250 thousand for information about his whereabouts. Washington permanently adds his name to the sanctions lists. At the same time, the US authorities have not yet provided Prigozhin’s lawyers with information on the basis of which all these restrictions were introduced against the businessman.
The Russian entrepreneur, commenting on the actions of the American side, ironically calls himself “a global brand of good that has come under sanctions.”
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