The United States government authorized the seizure of an American-made Boeing (BA) 737-7JU aircraft owned by PJSC Rosneft Oil Company.
The Justice Department announced that the U.S District Court for the Eastern District of New York found probable cause to issue a warrant yesterday, as PJSC Rosneft Oil Company allegedly violated both the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA), as well as sanctions issued against Russia by the U.S. in response to the unprovoked February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
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Close Ties to Putin Have Consequences
Igor Ivanovich Sechin, the CEO of Rosneft, has been called a close ally of Vladmir Putin since the 1990s, and was one of the so-called Russian oligarchs sanctioned in March 2022. Last year’s sanctions were issued against Russia by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security, and they imposed export controls and license requirements to protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.
The aircraft has been valued at $25 million. It is believed to travel to and from Russia, a violation of the sanctions and regulations issued under the ECRA.
The DOJ announced the investigation was coordinated through its Task Force KleptoCapture, which is an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing sanctions, export controls and other economic countermeasures that the U.S. and allies have imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
