Washington, August 23: The United States has imposed sanctions on nearly 5,000 Russians, including its top leadership and oligarchs, in the aftermath of the Moscow invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

“We have worked with allies and partners to impose costs, including visa restrictions for Kremlin officials and their enablers. Since February 24, 2022, the United States has taken steps to impose visa restrictions on nearly 5,000 individuals in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine,” a State Department spokesperson said. Also Read | Russia Accuses Ukraine of Killing Darya Dugina, Daughter of Putin's Close Aide, UN Calls for Investigation.

“We will continue to identify those involved in Russia's invasion and will promote accountability for their conduct. We are looking at all tools to hold the Kremlin to account,” said the official.

“The US wouldn't want to close off pathways to refuge and safety for Russia's dissidents or others who are vulnerable to human rights abuses. We've also been clear that it is important to draw a line between the actions of the Russian government and its policies in Ukraine, and the people of Russia,” said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson also confirmed that the Russian Ambassador to the US came to the Department of State on August 18 so the US could warn Russia against any escalation of its war on Ukraine, including calling on Moscow to cease all military operations at or near Ukraine's nuclear facilities and to return full control of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant to the war torn country.

“We don't have anything further to offer on the details of the discussions,” the spokesperson said in response to a question. During his regular daily news conference, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that the US had tapped into its strategic petroleum reserve at an unprecedented pace by working with allies around the world, including in regions, literally, halfway around the world to surge supplies of LNG to its allies and partners in other regions of the world that may experience a need for it, especially as the winter months approach.

“Together with our European partners, we've also launched a task force focused on the long-term implications of energy, how we can accelerate that transition to renewables and how we can transition away from dependence on Russia and other unreliable, undependable sources of global energy. Those discussions are continuing, as well our discussions with members of OPEC on this,” he said.

Russia will continue its brutal assaults on the Ukrainian state, on Ukrainian people, on Ukraine's independence, its democracy, its territorial integrity as well, he alleged.

“There's also no question that we will continue to stand with our Ukrainian partners. You saw on Friday, we announced an additional presidential drawdown, our 19th presidential drawdown, USD 800 million in that drawdown alone, that brought our total of security assistance to Ukraine to about USD 10 billion since the start of the invasion more, since the start of this administration, and we'll continue to do more as will our partners around the world,” he said.

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