Texas Border Business
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Commerce Department, through its Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), responded to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine by implementing a sweeping series of stringent export controls that will severely restrict Russia’s access to technologies and other items that it needs to sustain its aggressive military capabilities. These controls primarily target Russia’s defense, aerospace, and maritime sectors and will cut off Russia’s access to vital technological inputs, atrophy key sectors of its industrial base, and undercut its strategic ambitions to exert influence on the world stage. BIS’s actions, along with those of the Department of the Treasury, are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s swift and severe response to Russian aggression. These measures also reflect momentous cooperation among the United States, the European Union (EU), Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand, with more expected to join, in aligning on export control policies and requirements. If necessary, based upon any subsequent destabilizing actions by Russia, the U.S. government will follow up in the days to come with additional stringent economic measures.
The export control measures announced today are the most comprehensive application of Commerce’s export authorities on U.S. items, including technology, as well as on foreign items produced using U.S. equipment, software, and blueprints, targeting a single nation. These actions, in concert with those that our partners are taking, restrict Russia’s access to items that can support the country’s defense industrial base and military and intelligence services.
“Russia’s actions are an immediate danger to those living in Ukraine, but also pose a real threat to democracy throughout the world,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “By acting decisively and in close coordination with our allies and partners, we are sending a clear message today that the United States of America will not tolerate Russia’s aggression against a democratically-elected government. The Commerce Department, along with our partners internationally and across the Biden-Harris Administration, will continue to use every tool at our disposal to restrict products, software, and technology that support Russia’s military capabilities.”
“Russia’s attack on Ukraine is an attack on the democratic, rules-based order and the United States must meet this aggression with real consequences,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. “This coordinated policy is a strong statement of solidarity from the United States and the international community with the people of Ukraine. This powerful response was developed in close consultation with our global allies and partners to cut the Russian military off from the technologies and products it needs to sustain its unprovoked and unacceptable aggression.”
“With these export controls, we, together with our allies and partners, are technologically isolating Russia and degrading its military capabilities,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Thea D. Rozman Kendler. “Russia’s access to cutting-edge U.S. and partner country technology will halt. Its defense industrial base and military and intelligence services will not be able to acquire most Western-made products. Even most products made overseas using sensitive U.S. technology will be restricted for export to Russia. Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty warrants this swift and expansive export controls response.”
BIS’s Russia-specific export control measures impose a policy of denial on sensitive items Moscow relies on for its defense, aerospace, and maritime industries. These items, many of which were not previously subject to controls when destined for Russia, include semiconductors, computers, telecommunications, information security equipment, lasers, and sensors. Today’s rule also imposes stringent controls on 49 Russian military end users, which have been added to BIS’s Entity List. The EU, Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand have announced plans to implement substantially similar restrictions and are exempted from new requirements for items produced in their countries. This powerful international response will have serious consequences for the Russian military and defense sector and sends a clear message of our solidarity with the Ukrainian people and additional countries are expected to join in this effort.
These BIS actions were taken under the authority of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 and its implementing regulations, the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
The regulation will take effect when it is publicly released by the Federal Register on Thursday, February 24, 2022.
