US imposes new sanctions on 10 politicians to reduce Russian influence in Western Balkans

USA imposed sanctions against 10 persons for the purpose of reduction of Russian influence in the Western Balkans, the US Treasury announced today. The relevant announcement also states that sanctions were imposed on 20 entities, including 11 based in Russia. Others involve entities based in North Macedonia, Liberia and the United Arab Emirates. Three Liberian-flagged oil tankers were also blacklisted by the US Treasury Department.

Sanctions related to the Western Balkans add to the list of earlier ones imposed by the US on politicians, other individuals and organizations to curb Moscow’s efforts to prevent states in the region from joining international institutions, the US Treasury Department said. Those on the US sanctions list come from Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia.

Among them is Savo Cvietinovic, a party official of Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russian leader of Republika Srpska (“Republika Srpska,” RS), the Serb entity of the fragmented Bosnia-Herzegovina. Tsvetinovich represents a company owned by a former deputy chief of the Russian Air Force that “facilitated the illegal transfer” of Ukrainian-made helicopter engines to Russia, according to the US Treasury Department statement.

Also on the “blacklist” was Petar Djokic – Dodik’s Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining – who signed an agreement with his Croatian counterpart on the construction of a pipeline that will connect Croatia with the Russian refinery in the “Republika Srpska” (RS). of Bosnia, the same announcement states. Also on the sanctions list is Dodik’s representative in Moscow, Dusko Perovic, for acting as an intermediary in meetings between the RS leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin.