The United States on Wednesday imposed hundreds of sanctions targeting Russia in an action that seeks to increase pressure on Moscow in the final days of the Biden administration and protects some of the sanctions it has already imposed ahead of Donald Trump's second presidential term.

The Biden administration is cracking down on the Russian “shadow fleet” and taking steps to curb oil and gas production.

The outgoing US government has announced additional sanctions on Russia shortly before the end of President Joe Biden's term. The measures are directed against around 250 individuals and entities associated with the Russian defence industry,

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.

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),

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.

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.