Steve Holland and Jeff Mason

WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters] – Sunday’s US sanctions against Russia targeted three Russian television stations. They banned Americans from consulting or accounting services for Russians, as well as sanctioned Gazprombank officials to punish Moscow over its invasion in Ukraine.

These sanctions, which are part of the United States’ latest attempt to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin following his attack on Ukraine, were issued as President Joe Biden met with G7 leaders to talk about the conflict and also had a virtual meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian President.

Gazprombank’s executives faced the most severe sanctions, as America and its allies have resisted any attempts to disrupt gas supply to Europe. Russia is Russia’s biggest customer.

This isn’t a complete block. “We’re not prohibiting Gazprombank transactions or freezing Gazprombank assets,” said a top Biden administration official. To signal to Gazprombank that it isn’t a safe haven we’re sanctioning top Gazprombank executives… to cause a chilling effect.

Sberbank’s eight executives, who hold one-third the Russian banking assets, were also added to the list. Moscow Industrial Bank, and 10 of its subsidiaries, were also included.

These new export restrictions are intended to directly harm Putin’s war effort. They include controls on engines and bulldozers as well as wood products and motors. Officials said that the European Union was working in conjunction with Russian chemical suppliers to increase controls.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbor’s military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists. According to Ukraine and its allies, Russia started an unprovoked conflict.

Promtekhnologiya Limited Liability Company, which is a weapon maker, was also sanctioned along with seven shipping firms and a marine-towing company. According to the White House, licenses for special nuclear material exports would be suspended by Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The White House stated that the sanctioned stations include Joint Stock Company Channel One Russia (TV Station Russia-1), and Joint Stock Company NTV Broadcasting Company.

Despite the fact that legal services are still permitted, Americans won’t be allowed to provide accounting, trust, corporate formation and management consulting services for Russians.