Washington (PTI): The US has imposed sanctions on 275 individuals and entities, including 15 from India, for allegedly supporting Russia’s military-industrial base.

Companies from China, Switzerland, Thailand, and Turkiye have also been slapped with sanctions for supplying Russia with advanced technology and equipment that it desperately needs to support its war machine, the Department of Treasury said in a statement on Thursday.

In addition to disrupting global evasion networks, this action also targets domestic Russian importers and producers of key inputs and other material for Russia’s military-industrial base, the statement said.

“The United States and our allies will continue to take decisive action across the globe to stop the flow of critical tools and technologies that Russia needs to wage its illegal and immoral war against Ukraine,” Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said.

“As evidenced by today’s action, we are unyielding in our resolve to diminish and degrade Russia’s ability to equip its war machine and stop those seeking to aid their efforts through circumvention or evasion of our sanctions and export controls,” Adeyemo said.

The State Department has also targeted sanctions evasion and circumvention in multiple third countries, including several China-based companies exporting dual-use goods that fill critical gaps in Russia’s military-industrial base and entities and individuals in Belarus related to the Lukashenka regime’s support for Russia’s defence industry, the statement said.

The US also targeted several senior Russian Ministry of Defence officials and defence companies and those supporting Russia’s future energy production and exports.

As per the list released by the Department of Treasury, the India-based companies are Abhar Technologies and Services Private Limited; Denvas Services Private Limited; Emsystech; Galaxy Bearings Ltd; Orbit Fintrade LLP; Innovio Ventures; KDG Engineering Private Limited; and Khushbu Honing Private Limited.

The Indian companies also include Lokesh Machines Limited; Pointer Electronics; RRG Engineering Technologies Private Limited; Sharpline Automation Private Limited; Shaurya Aeronautics Private Limited; Shreegee Impex Private Limited; and Shreya Life Sciences Private Limited.

On Wednesday, the US had imposed sanctions on nearly 400 entities and individuals for enabling Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine.

"The Department of State is targeting sanctions circumvention by parties in multiple third countries, several senior Russian Ministry of Defence officials and defence companies, and those that support the development of Russia’s future energy production and exports," Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said in a statement on Wednesday.

The US, he said, is imposing sanctions on several Chinese companies exporting dual-use goods that fill critical gaps in Russia’s military-industrial base as well as entities and individuals connected to the Lukashenka regime’s support for Russia’s defence industry.

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Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has strongly criticised the Centre over the women's reservation and accused it of trying to use it as a "weapon" to tackle the opposition before taking up the delimitation exercise based on population.

"The Union government is not concerned about implementing reservations for women. If their concerns were genuine, they could have done it right away. Rather than doing that, the BJP-led Centre is thinking of using it as a weapon to tackle opposition and take up the delimitation exercise based on population," he told PTI in an interview.

"Hence, the women's reservation must be implemented immediately without showing delimitation as a reason," the DMK president added.

Expressing apprehensions on the proposed delimitation exercise, the CM said it was the DMK that raised the first voice asserting the rights of the state after realising that Tamil Nadu would be affected by the proposed exercise. He also attacked his rival and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami over the delimitation issue.

Recalling efforts made by the DMK to raise the issue of population-based delimitation, he said an all-party meeting and a meeting of CMs under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee seeking fair delimitation were convened. It sought to freeze delimitation for 25 years and stick to it based on the 1971 Census population.

"We urged the union government that states which successfully implemented population control programmes must not be punished," he added. 

The party came up with "Tamil Nadu poradum, Tamil Nadu vellum" (Tamil Nadu will struggle, Tamil Nadu will win) and this is DMK's stand, he said.

"However, Palaniswami, who is seeking votes for the entry of the BJP through the backdoor, has till date been mute over delimitation, and this is a betrayal of the people of Tamil Nadu."