UPDATE: US sanctions on Russia over Skripal case take effect on Monday

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WASHINGTON/BERLIN, Aug 27 (PRIME) -- The U.S. anti-Russian sanctions over Moscow’s alleged involvement in the March poisoning of the Skripal family in the U.K. came into force on Monday.

“The Department of State… has determined pursuant to Section 306(a) of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 that the Government of the Russian Federation has used chemical weapons in violation of international law or lethal chemical weapons against its own nationals,” according to a document released on the U.S. Federal Register’s website on Monday.

The new sanctions encompass termination of assistance to Russia under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, except for urgent humanitarian assistance and food or other agricultural commodities or products.

The sanctions also imply termination of sales to Russia under the Arms Export Control Act of any defense articles, defense services, or design and construction services, and licenses for the export to Russia of any item on the United States Munitions List.

“The Department of State has determined that it is essential to the national security interests of the United States to waive the application of this sanction with respect to the issuance of licenses in support of government space cooperation and commercial space launches, provided that such licenses shall be issued on a case-by-case basis and consistent with export licensing policy for Russia prior to the enactment of these sanctions.”

In addition, the newly-imposed sanctions encompass a denial to Russia of any credit, credit guarantees, or other financial assistance by any department, agency, or instrumentality of the U.S. government, including the Export-Import Bank of the U.S.

Moscow has repeatedly and categorically denied involvement in the poisoning of the Skripal family, saying that the U.K. hadn’t provided enough proof of that.

A second package of sanctions that can affect lending to Russian corporate bodies could be introduced in November.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that Europe should react to the U.S. sanctions policy towards Russia, China, Turkey and other important economic partners.

“Washington forces us to formulate European responses in connection with the sanctions policy. This refers to Europe and Germany, if the U.S. suddenly uncoordinatedly and quite non-specifically introduces sanctions against Russia, China, Turkey, and in the future possibly against other important trade partners. We should react to it,” Maas said.

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