Washington (Parliament Politics Magazine) – US civil-society group Dekleptocracy says overlooked chemical sanctions could weaken Russia’s military and its ability to sustain the war effort.
As reported by The Guardian, a US group has highlighted overlooked sanctions that could weaken Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, despite recent measures targeting Moscow’s largest oil firms.
Earlier sanctions have targeted Russian energy companies, financial sectors, military suppliers, and the shadow fleet transporting Russian oil.
What did Dekleptocracy say about Russia’s hidden military weaknesses?
Dekleptocracy, a group focused on Russia’s war economy, said chemicals used in mechanical lubricants and military-grade tyres are a critical vulnerability that the US, UK, and EU could target.
Kristofer Harrison, president of the group and former US State Department Russia specialist, called the targets “weedy and specific,” unlike microchips and oil firms that usually attract government attention.
She added,
“We looked at the Russian economy, some of the things that they absolutely need to keep their war machine running. We looked at their manufacturing base, their chemical base, to find critical issues, the things that the Russians cannot manufacture themselves.”
The civil group said the chemicals are hard to replace and vital to Moscow’s ability to deploy tanks and carry out its military operations.
It stated that “A lubricant shortage would seriously damage Russia’s war machine.”
According to Dekleptocracy, Xinxiang Richful, a Chinese company, supplies a significant portion of Russia’s demand, up to eight million kilograms annually. It has recently opened a U.S. office in Virginia. The group says targeting it, along with several smaller suppliers, could create a shortage of mechanical lubricants in Russia.
The civil group reports that Russia relies heavily on imports to produce vulcanization accelerants and other chemicals needed for military-grade tyres.
Moscow has a powerful oil industry, but it does not produce domestically many critical substances, such as chemicals for food, tyres, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products like shampoo.
According to Dekleptocracy, Russia initiated efforts earlier this year to produce hundreds of chemicals domestically, underlining vulnerabilities in its chemical sector.
The civil group played a role in earlier sanctions against the Arctic LNG 2 gas project. It collaborated with the Biden administration to identify key components, such as ice-class tankers, that the US could pressure to disrupt operations.
Dekleptocracy is part of a civil society network, working alongside Ukrainian groups Razom We Stand and B4Ukraine, and the US-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies, which analyzes large volumes of trade data to expose weaknesses in Russia’s war economy and advise policymakers.
What did Tom Keatinge say about Russia’s sanctions targets?
Tom Keatinge, director of the Finance and Security Centre at the Royal United Services Institute, the UK’s defence thinktank, said Dekleptocracy’s findings provide valuable insights and confirm that sanctions targets still exist.
He stated,
“For so long as Russia is successfully procuring the components it needs for its military, and for so long as Russia is successfully selling its oil, the environment remains target-rich.”
Mr Keatinge said the impact of sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil remains uncertain, as limited action has been taken against firms continuing to buy their oil.
He added,
“A successful sanctions regime relies not only on identifying new targets, but also ensuring implementation against already identified targets. Ukraine’s allies need to follow through on implementing existing sanctions and taking action against those that facilitate evasion.”
Mr Keartinge continued,
“It’s very valuable work. It regularly surfaces anomalies that need to be addressed.”
What did Marco Rubio say about the remaining sanctions on Russia?
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at last week’s meeting that most major sanction options have already been implemented.
He stated,
“Well, there’s not a lot left to sanction from our part, I mean, we hit their major oil companies, which is what everybody’s been asking for.”
Mr Rubio’s remarks followed US sanctions on Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil in October, aimed at weakening Russia’s war machine.
What did Scott Bessent say about sanctions on Russia?
Commenting on the sanctions on Russia, US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said,
“Now is the time to stop the killing and for an immediate ceasefire.”
He added,
“Given President Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine. Treasury is prepared to take further action if necessary to support President Trump’s effort to end yet another war. We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions.”
The US has designated Russia’s top oil companies, Open Joint Stock Company Rosneft and Public Joint-Stock Company Lukoil, under sanctions.
When did the Russia-Ukraine war start, and how many have died?
The Russo-Ukrainian war started in late February 2014. On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a massive, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, escalating the war.
Since February 2022, the war in Ukraine has caused an estimated ~1,170,000 Russian military deaths, ~400,000 Ukrainian military deaths, and 13,883 verified civilian casualties, with numbers continuing to rise. The actual civilian toll is likely higher, and military losses remain difficult to confirm independently.