White House slaps Belarus with ‘sweeping restrictions,’ sanctions Russian oil refining

The White House released a fresh round of sanctions on Russia Wednesday as well as its ally, Belarus, for supporting Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Export restrictions on technology and software that are currently in place for Russia will be extended to Belarus, in a move that will “significantly degrade both countries’ ability to sustain their military aggression and project power,” the White House said.

Russian forces started invading Ukraine from the north through Belarus last week. A referendum was also approved in Belarus on Sunday that revoked the country’s non-nuclear status, potentially opening the door for Russian nukes to be deployed in the country.

“Belarus’s choice to enable Russia’s horrific assault on the people of Ukraine has rightly drawn international condemnation,” Assistant Secretary of Commerce Thea Rozman Kendler said Wednesday.

The White House also took steps to further economically isolate Russia by hitting the country with export controls on oil refining equipment, which could deprive the country of a key source of revenue over the long term.