US Treasury sanctions firm it claims provides jet fuel to Russia in Syria

Washington on Thursday imposed sanctions on a firm it said was participating in a sanctions evasion scheme to facilitate the delivery of jet fuel to Russian forces in Syria, Reuters reports.

The US Treasury Department said the newly sanctioned firm, Maritime Assistance LLC, was operating as a front company for OJSC Sovfracht, a company the US had previously sanctioned in relation to operations in Ukraine.

Three individuals allegedly tied to Sovfracht were also targeted. The Treasury decided to freeze any assets they may hold in the US and bar Americans from dealing with them.

Five ships were designated as “blocked property” of previously sanctioned Russian firm Transpetrochart, which Washington says provides support to Sovfracht.