The US adds Swiss companies to the list of sanctions against Russia

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Department of the Treasury updated its sanctions list Wednesday to include a range of individuals and companies based in a number of countries, including Cyprus, China, Great Britain and the United Arab Emirates. The three Swiss people are listed as "facilitators" linked to the law firm Sequoia, registered in the neighboring principality of Liechtenstein. Sequoia is alleged to have provided "financial, material or technological support, goods or services to or in support of Timchenko," a statement said.

Geneva-based Pomerol Capital is listed as a trustee of the Sister Trust, a Bermudian entity allegedly managed on behalf of Usmanov and his sister Gulbakhor Ismailova.Canton Zug-based iron ore supplier and mining group Metalloinvest Trading has also been linked to Usmanov.The United States is pressuring Switzerland to tighten sanctions against Russia. The US ambassador in Bern believes that the current 7.5 billion Swiss francs of frozen assets in the Confederation could become 100 billion.The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), responsible for enforcing the sanctions, rejected claims that Switzerland was stalling.