REUTERS

The U.S. Department of Commerce has decided to impose sanctions against 12 Russian companies, which were determined by the U.S. Government to be acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.

"The End-User Review Committee (ERC) determined that four commercial companies – Joint Stock Company Scientific-Research Institute 'Vektor', Open Joint Stock Company Information Technology and Communication Systems, Federal State Unitary Enterprise Scientific Production Enterprise 'GAMMA', and Syrus Systems – located in Russia be added to the Entity List. These entities have enabled the activities of malicious Russian cyber actors," according to a Public Inspection document on the Federal Register's website.

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"In addition, the ERC determined that two entities, Divetechnoservices and Oceanos, be added to the Entity List under the destination of Russia for providing equipment and support to the Russian Navy."

"The ERC also determined that five entities – AeroComposit; Obinsk Research and Production Enterprise (ORPE), Open Joint Stock Company Aviadvigatel, Open Joint Stock Company Scientific and Production Corporation of Precision Instruments Engineering (NPK-SPP), and Voronezh Scientific Research Institute 'Vega' – be added to the Entity List for supporting Russian military aerospace production activities," reads the report.

The ERC also determined that Nilco Group, located in Belarus, Iran, and Russia, and Mohammad Najafi, located in Belarus, be added to the Entity List based on their involvement in providing material support to Iranian missile programs.

"Pursuant to § 744.11(b) of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the ERC determined that the conduct of these fourteen entities raises sufficient concern that prior review of exports, reexports or transfers (incountry) of all items subject to the EAR involving these entities, and the possible imposition of license conditions or license denials on shipments to the persons, will enhance Bureau of Industry and Security's ability to prevent violations of the EAR," the report says.

"For thirteen of the fourteen entities described above that are being added to the Entity List, BIS imposes a license requirement for all items subject to the EAR and a license review policy of presumption of denial. For all fourteen entities, the license requirements apply to any transaction in which items are to be exported, reexported, or transferred (in-country) to any of the entities or in which such entities act as purchaser, intermediate consignee, ultimate consignee, or end-user. In addition, no license exceptions are available for exports, reexports, or transfers (in-country) to the entities being added to the Entity List in this rule."

The document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on September 26, 2018.