The U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Several Individuals and Entities in Belarus

On Tuesday, December 5, the U.S. sanctioned 11 individuals and 7 entities that generate income for Lukashenko's regime in Belarus, or are active in the country's defense sector and facilitate Russia's war against Ukraine. The U.S. State Department stated that the aim of these sanctions is to increase costs for Lukashenko's regime due to its brutal crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Belarus, the financial corruption of the Lukashenko family, and the regime's involvement in Russia's 'unjustifiable' war against Ukraine. One of the sanctioned individuals is the Secretary-General of the Belarusian Red Cross. Research from Yale University indicates that since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, over 2,400 Ukrainian children have been forcibly transferred to Belarus. The report shows that Ukrainian children aged 6 to 17 have been moved from at least 17 cities in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories. In June 2023, the Belarusian Red Cross reported that over 700 Ukrainian children are in Belarus. In July of the same year, the Secretary-General of the Belarusian Red Cross met with children in Luhansk, Ukraine, sparking international outrage. He stated on Belarusian state television that the organization has actively participated in the transfer of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine to Belarus. Another sanctioned individual is Aliaksandr Shakutsin, a member of Lukashenko's inner circle and a prominent Belarusian businessman who gained most of his wealth from privatization during Lukashenko's tenure. He supported Lukashenko following the controversial 2020 presidential elections and belittled pro-democracy protesters. In that election, Lukashenko was declared the winner by a significant margin, maintaining his 26-year grip on power. Hundreds of thousands deemed the election results fraudulent and took to the streets to protest, facing riot police. Among the Belarusian entities sanctioned by the U.S. is the Scientific and Technical Center 'Lemet,' a subsidiary of the state-owned 'Belomo,' which operates in Belarus's defense sector and specializes in the research, development, and production of optoelectronic and laser devices for unmanned aerial vehicles, optical laser systems for air defense systems, and border security systems. As a result of these sanctions, all assets and interests of these individuals in the U.S. will be blocked. Additionally, the assets of any entity that is directly or indirectly 50% or more owned by one or more sanctioned individuals will also be blocked.