View of MoscowWASHINGTON Feb. 27 U.S. sanctions over the past week have affected the top ten of Russia's financial institutions, which account for 80% of the country's banking assets, a senior US administration official said. briefing. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees recognizing the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, and on February 24, Russia launched a special military operation to demilitarize Ukraine. In response, Western countries began a new round of the sanctions spiral, which has been unwinding since 2014. Several of the largest banks in the Russian Federation, including Sberbank and VTB, fell under the new restrictions. A number of state-owned companies found it difficult to attract foreign capital. Sanctions have been imposed on the supply of high-tech products to Russia. Germany has stopped certification of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Britain closed flights for Aeroflot. Russian authorities said they had prepared a plan of action in advance in case of a new wave of sanctions and would provide any necessary support to businesses that fell under the restrictions, ensuring the smooth operation of the economy. The Russian authorities are also working on retaliatory measures, but the details are not yet known. Among the measures taken to date is the ban on overflights of British airlines over Russia.
