The United States on Wednesday took fresh action targeting Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, taking aim at efforts to circumvent U.S. sanctions as Washington continues to increase pressure on Moscow in the final days of the Biden administration.

Sanctions imposed by the United States on 10th January against the Russian oil sector have halted about one-tenth of Russia's shadow fleet. The value of the oil it transports could exceed £2.9 billion.

The United States issued new Russia-related sanctions on Wednesday targeting multiple individuals, a China-based entity and a bank in Kyrgyzstan, according to a notice posted on the U.S. Department of Treasury website.

New and more expansive US sanctions against Russia are likely to significantly disrupt oil supplies, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday. The IEA said in its monthly Oil Market Report: Washington targeted two major oil producers (Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz),

Russian seaborne oil exports may decrease in the coming weeks after the United States imposed sanctions on two of Russia’s largest exporters and about 160 tankers in the shadow fleet, Bloomberg reports.

At least 65 Russian oil tankers have been forced to anchor and suspend shipments following the imposition of the toughest U.S. sanctions yet on Russia’s oil and gas sector. The sanctions were announced on January 10,