WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)
imposed restrictions on the export, reexport, and transfer (in country) of luxury goods to all end
users in the Russian Federation (Russia) and Belarus and to certain Russian and Belarusian
oligarchs and malign actors located worldwide. This action is in response to Russia’s brutal,
continuing invasion of Ukraine (as substantially enabled by Belarus) in flagrant violation of
international law.

“Putin’s war of choice in Ukraine continues to take a devastating toll on innocent civilians in
Ukraine, fueling one of the worst humanitarian crises Europe has seen in decades,” said
Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “Putin and the oligarchs who fund him have gotten
rich off of Putin’s rampant corruption and the exploitation of the Russian people. We will not
allow Putin and his cronies to continue living in opulence while causing tremendous suffering
throughout Eastern Europe. Today’s action takes away another source of comfort and reminds
them that Russia is increasingly isolated.”

“The Department of Commerce will continue to vigorously exercise its authorities to deprive
the Russian leadership of the material support it needs to sustain its aggression as well as the
material comfort that insulates them from the harm they are inflicting,” said Deputy Secretary
of Commerce Don Graves. “The people who have benefited most from Putin’s rule should
know that they are international pariahs and that their money cannot insulate them from the
unlawful actions they have facilitated. This action also targets Russian and Belarusian oligarchs
and other malign actors who have supported Putin.”

“Before today, controls on luxury goods only applied to rogue state North Korea—a regime
where its leaders and their political cronies live in opulence while their people struggle,” said
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration Thea D. Rozman Kendler. “Today’s
action should remind Putin and his Russian and Belarusian cronies that the world strongly
condemns the horrors they have wrought. The U.S. and our allies and partners will continue to
stand together in imposing severe consequences on Russia and Belarus for the continued
invasion of Ukraine.”

Today’s rule imposes significant restrictions on persons and organizations within Russia and
Belarus that has the financial resources to purchase U.S.-origin luxury goods. Additionally, this
rule imposes additional costs on certain Russian and Belarusian oligarchs and malign actors
(regardless of their location) who have been designated by the Department of the Treasury as
Specially Designated Nationals in connection with their support for the Russian government.
This action underscores the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and also
demonstrates to influential Russian and Belarusian individuals the material impact on their
lifestyle for their support for the Russian government’s actions in Ukraine.

The rule provides a list of U.S.-origin luxury goods that are impacted by today’s sanctions and
includes certain spirits, tobacco products, clothing items, jewelry, vehicles, and antique goods.

The rule takes effect when released in the Federal Register on March 11, 2022. The text of the
rule is available here: https://go.usa.gov/xz5MP

For more information on the Commerce Department’s actions in response to Russia’s invasion
of Ukraine is available online here.

                            For more information, visit www.bis.doc.gov.