US withdraws Kommersant newspaper from sanctions against Usmanov's assets

The United States , having announced sanctions against the structures of businessman Alisher Usmanov, removed the Kommersant newspaper from restrictions. A corresponding general license has been published on the website of the Ministry of Finance.

The document allows transactions with the publishing house “necessary for the operation of the newspaper”, if such transactions are not specifically prohibited by other documents, for example, if the Central Bank, the Ministry of Finance or the National Welfare Fund of RUSSIA do not participate in them.

Usmanov bought Kommersant from Badri Patarkatsishvili in 2006.

On April 12, the US Treasury included in the sanctions list the USM and Metalloinvest holdings founded by the entrepreneur, as well as the MegaFon operator, The Sister Trust (the founders of the latter are Usmanov and his sister Gulbahor Ismailova) and its Almenor, Klaret Aviation and Navis Marine. In addition, three Cypriot companies that, according to US authorities, belong to Usmanov, fell under the restrictions - these are Windfel, Savoler and Miramonte.

Usmanov has been under Washington's sanctions since March last year, but then the Ministry of Finance made an exception and allowed transactions with companies owned by him by 50% or more, if they were not separately included in the sanctions lists.

On April 12, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions against USM. The holding told RBC that they consider the restrictive measures unfair and unreasonable. “Alisher Usmanov has not been engaged in entrepreneurial activity for a long time, owns less than 50% of the holding and does not participate in its management. We intend to challenge these restrictions as illegal,” the USM said.