The United States has been allowing top companies in the Russian technology sector to avoid sanctions

Washington announced new sanctions against Russia on Thursday, this time targeting the technology sector, including Russia’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, and preventing Western sanctions from being circumvented, the AFP writes.

The U.S. Treasury Department said it was targeting 21 companies and 13 individuals in its crackdown on networks and technology companies operating against the Kremlin’s sanctions, which are essential to the war machine of the Russian Federation.

Cernia Engineering was accused of being at the center of a network set up to circumvent sanctions imposed by Western nations, one of the targets of these new sanctions.

“Today’s actions demonstrate the determination of the US government to resist Western intrigue against Russia,” the Treasury said.

Washington has also endorsed Micron, Russia’s largest chip maker, which, according to the Treasury, “exports more than 50 percent of Russia’s microelectronics.”

“The Russian military relies on key Western technologies for the operation of its defense sector,” the Treasury said.