The United States is rolling out new charges and actions aimed at hampering what U.S. officials describe as the “Russian war machine,” just days before the world marks the second anniversary of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Justice Department Thursday announced progress in five separate cases against key Russian oligarchs and their financial henchmen, including two arrests of U.S.-based facilitators and a guilty plea for money laundering.
In addition, the U.S. moved to seize $2.5 million worth of luxury condominiums in Miami, Florida as part of a civil forfeiture case against Russian oligarch Viktor Perevalov.
While some of the actions, including new charges against oligarchs and others linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin, may not yield immediate results, officials said the message to Ukraine is clear.
“We will do whatever we can do, actions big and small, to show our support as they defy Russian aggression and defend their homeland,” said Michael Khoo, a co-director of the Justice Department’s Task Force KleptoCapture.
Khoo said there is also a message for the Kremlin.
“We’re not going away,” Khoo said, briefing reporters. “We can play the long game as well.”
“We fully intend to continue with these sorts of actions for as long as the Russian aggression continues in Ukraine and as long as they continue to take malign and malicious actions worldwide,” he added.