Truth matters: Yermak-McFaul group explained why russia should be recognized as state sponsor of terrorism

The International Working Group on Sanctions Against the russian federation has developed a fifth document on the topic "The Case of Recognition of the russian federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism"

Rubryka informs about this with reference to the press service of the Office of the President.

As noted, this document explains in detail the essence and specifics of the "country sponsor of terrorism" status provided for by American law.

Working group experts predicted risks and suggested potential mitigation strategies for many of them.

The document provides factual data confirming the compliance of the russian federation's actions with the definition of "terrorism." In practice, russia's crimes in Ukraine are actually greater than "sponsoring terrorism."

Because the main perpetrator of these terrorist acts is the russian armed forces, the key institution of the russian state.

"The type, scale, and purpose of deliberate, politically motivated violence that russia uses against Ukrainian non-combatants are shocking. The US Secretary of State should recognize the russian federation as a state sponsor of terrorism. The Canadian government should take a similar step," the OPU said.

Experts describe the main consequences in detail:

• restrictions on transactions,
• loss of sovereign immunity,
• secondary sanctions,
• individual sanctions,
• symbolic influence.

"Such recognition will increase pressure to include russia on the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Recognition would also limit assistance from the United States and from organizations of which the United States is a member:

• all arms exports and sales will be banned;
• control over the export, re-export, and transfer of dual-use goods will be further strengthened;
• additional financial restrictions will be introduced.

Assigning such a status to russia would facilitate and enable the US to impose secondary sanctions on third parties that conduct transactions with the russian state and private sector entities.

By designating the russian federation as a state sponsor of terrorism, the United States and its allies can impose financial and trade sanctions on any country that continues to cooperate with russia.

Such a threat of secondary sanctions will increase the likelihood of compliance with existing sanctions, thus increasing their effectiveness.

The granting of such a status would significantly increase the level of control by international counterparties over many russian legal entities and individuals in the private sector. Potential business partners should be particularly attentive in their due diligence and Know Your Customer (KYC) procedure.

Given the high cost of testifying about terrorist acts and inaction in response, the Yermak-McFaul sanctions group believes that the benefits of assigning the russian federation the status of a state sponsor of terrorism outweigh the risks that can be mitigated," the OPU emphasized.