American intervention in the 2022 Russia-Ukraine War
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As it has been reported, the Biden administration got information on a potential Russian invasion as early as March 2021, at the time of large Russian military exercises.[citation needed] The US attempted to deter Russia from invading, among other, by proposing US - Russia summit, and meeting with Russian officials in November 2021 and January 2022. The efforts failed.[3]
Strategy
Since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022, US President Joe Biden has articulated a cautious US strategy towards the war. The goals were to mitigate the risk of escalation into a direct US-Russia confrontation while hindering Russia's military success. Biden administration emphasized sustained support "for as long as it takes" to assist Ukraine's defense efforts. However, these are coupled with a focus on avoiding actions that could be construed as provocative by Russia and potentially leading to a wider war.[3]
This cautious approach prioritizes limiting US risks of getting militarily involved while leaving the primary burden of repelling the invasion on Ukraine. Political scientistKori Schake characterizes this strategy as exhibiting a "vulnerability of US support", arguing that the self-imposed limitations on US assistance, compared to Russia's aggression not limited by any boundaries, create a significant strategic advantage for Russia.[3]
While this US strategy has been static for 2 years of war, the situation on the battlefield was changing with time. Eventually, static US strategy encountered its limitations. As the war enters its third year (as of April 2024), the battlefield situation evolved towards a stalemate and towards increased concerns that a persistent and determined Russian offensive could ultimately achieve its objectives.[3]
Aid to Ukraine
After the start of Russian invasion, US president Joe Biden has committed to aid Ukraine for "as long as it takes". However US strategy's goals, aiding Ukraine and at the same time preventing Russian escalation, were contradicting each other. This contradiction "produced a repetitive cycle of Ukraine pleading for systems Washington denied, allies (particularly the United Kingdom) moving forward without the United States, the Biden administration bowing to public criticism and international pressure and slowly relenting, providing the systems months and even years later than when they would have been most effective".[3] US military aid, per historianPhillips O'Brien, were "systems of limited range and defensive purpose". The delay in delivering weapons and ammunition resulted in Russian construction of defenses in late 2022 and early 2023.[3]
The US president said the U.S. military would not fight Russia in Ukraine, but would defend every inch of NATO territory.[4] On March 16, Biden announced an additional $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine, bringing the total U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine to $2 billion since the start of the Biden Administration.[5]
On February 26, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Ukraine would be provided with an additional $350 million in military aid to strengthen their defense capabilities.[6]
The United States Agency for International Development, along with United Nations agencies, provided relief supplies to the Ukrainian people, such as surgery and medical kits, emergency food, thermal blankets and sanitation supplies. The agency provided a total of $107 million in humanitarian aid.[7]
On March 25, 2022, Joe Biden visited Poland near the border with Ukraine. Biden expressed his appreciation for the courage and tenacity of the Ukrainian people, and likened the Ukrainian people's resistance to Russia to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.[8]
On April 12, the United States sent $750M in additional military aid to Ukraine, including drones, howitzers and protective equipment to defend against chemical attacks.[9]
On April 24, 2022, an American delegation consisting of American Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv. After the visit US announced $713 million in military financing for Ukraine plus fifteen allied partner nations.[10]
In late April Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives visited Zelensky in Kyiv together with other members of the House of Representatives including Adam Schiff.[11]
On February 20, 2023, Joe Biden announced a half-billion dollars aid stating that the new aid "package would include more military equipment, such as artillery ammunition, more javelins and howitzers.[12]
The United States marked the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2023, with $2 billion in arms for Kyiv. The United States also plans to announce $250 million in aid to bolster Ukraine's energy infrastructure against Russian attacks.[13]
Rep. Chris Stewart of Utah, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said as long as US resources were used wisely, the American people will continue to support aid. He said NATO members must also honor their pledge to spend 2 percent of their gross domestic product on defense. "Most of them have not done that except for a few of the smaller countries," Stewart said. "The American people also look at this and go, ‘This is in Europe’s backyard. They should be at least as invested in this as we are.’ And I don't know that we can assure them right now that that's the case."[14]
In May 2023, the United States said it would provide a $300m arms shipment for Ukraine. This also included "air defense systems and tens of millions of rounds of ammunition".[15]
NATO Eastern border reinforcement
Biden stated that 800 US soldiers will be transferred from Italy to the Baltic region, eight F-35 fighter jets will be transferred from Germany to Eastern Europe, and that 32 Apache helicopters will be transferred from Germany and Greece to Poland.[16] The president said the U.S. military would not fight Russia in Ukraine, but would defend every inch of NATO territory.[4]
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered the deployment of about 7,000 additional troops to Europe.[4]
Imposing economic sanctions on Russia was and is one of main elements of Biden's strategy after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Biden administration believed that economic sanctions would damage Russia more than military engagement. However, sanctions "have been much less successful" than the US strategy "anticipated and required", and have failed to impede Russia from continuing its war.[3]
The emergencies in both Belarus and Ukraine have been continued by Presidents Bush, Obama, Trump and Biden through an annual letter to Congress. Each president has issued further Executive Orders affecting the scope of emergency measures and naming individuals, companies and governments as responsible and sanctioning them.
In addition, the Russia–United States relations have been strained through a number of incidents involving espionage and cyberwarfare by Russia. With Executive Order13694, President Obama declared an emergency regarding "Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities" without initially naming Russia, but eventually naming the GRU, FSB, and related entities responsible and sanctioning them.
Executive Order14039 of August 20, 2021 blocks the property of persons "engaging in certain activities or providing certain services to facilitate construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, among others."[21][22]
January–February 2022: outbreak of war, introduction of new sanctions
In late-January 2022, major Russian military units were relocated and deployed to Belarus under the auspices of previously planned joint military exercises to be held in February that year.[23] Ukrainian and American officials believed that Russia attempted to use Belarus as a platform for an attack on Ukraine from the north, due to the close proximity of the Belarusian–Ukrainian border with the city of Kyiv.[24][25][26][27]
On 19 January 2022, United States President Joe Biden said his "guess" was that Russia "w[ould] move in" to Ukraine but Putin would pay "a serious and dear price" for an invasion and "would regret it".[28][29]
On February 22, 2022, the United States declared the Russian advance into the Donbass an "invasion."[35] The Biden administration and OFAC announced the blocking of property under E.O. 14024 for notable members of the Russian government including Alexander Bortnikov of the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of RussiaSergey Kiriyenko. State-backed bank Promsvyazbank and its CEO Petr Fradkov were also cited; the Russian state development corporation VEB.RF as well. Over forty subsidiaries to Promsvyazbank and VEB.RF were named to the list, as were five ships owned by Promsvyazbank: one roll-on/roll-off cargo ship, two tankers and two container ships. The Biden administration described this as the "first tranche" of sanctions.[36][37]
On February 23, 2022, an unidentified senior U.S. defense official was quoted by Reuters saying that "80 percent" of Russian forces assigned and arrayed along Ukraine's border were ready for battle and that a ground incursion further into Ukraine could commence at any moment.[38] On the same day, the Ukrainian parliament approved the decree of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the introduction of a state of emergency.[39] On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin announced that he had made the decision to launch a "special military operation" in eastern Ukraine.[40][41] Russian forces launched missile attacks against targets across Ukraine shortly afterward.[42]
Following the attacks, White House announced an expansion of its sanctions programs.[43]
Today, the United States, along with Allies and partners, is imposing severe and immediate economic costs on Russia in response to Putin’s war of choice against Ukraine. Today’s actions include sweeping financial sanctions and stringent export controls that will have profound impact on Russia’s economy, financial system, and access to cutting-edge technology. The sanctions measures impose severe costs on Russia’s largest financial institutions and will further isolate Russia from the global financial system. With today’s financial sanctions, we have now targeted all ten of Russia’s largest financial institutions, including the imposition of full blocking and correspondent and payable-through account sanctions, and debt and equity restrictions, on institutions holding nearly 80% of Russian banking sector assets.
— "Fact Sheet: Joined by Allies and Partners, the United States Imposes Devastating Costs on Russia" February 24, 2022
The Office of Foreign Assets Control also announced the imposition of further E.O. 14038 sanctions against Belarus in retaliation for allowing Russia to use its territory to launch attacks on Ukraine, including state-owned banks, defense and security industry, and defense official including the Belarusian Minister of Defense, Viktor Khrenin.[45][46]
In a joint public statement on February 26, 2022, with the leaders of the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, and Canada, the United States committed to tighten sanctions even further including removal of Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system, measures to stop the use of reserves to undermine the impact of sanctions, ending the sale of golden passport, and coordinating efforts to "ensure the effective implementation of our financial sanctions."[50][51][52][53]
In early March 2022, President Biden signed additional Executive Orders dealing with the emergency in Ukraine. Executive Order14066 of March 8, 2022 prohibited U.S. importation of fossil fuels from the Russian Federation and any new U.S. investment into the Russian energy sector.[60]Executive Order14068 of March 11, 2022 prohibited U.S. importation of fish, seafood, alcoholic beverages, and non-industrial diamonds from Russia and prohibits U.S. export of luxury goods to the Russian Federation.[61]
On March 24, 2022, OFAC made its largest expansion of the E.O. 14024 list sanctions by number of entities by sanctioning 324 individual deputies of the State Duma as well as the State Duma itself.[67][68] Added under separate notice were Herman Gref of Sberbank; Tactical Missiles Corporation, its subsidiaries and its General Director; as well as the Russian Helicopters and its subsidiaries, as well as other divisions of Rostec.[69] The same day the State Department published its own additions to the E.O. 14024 list: seventeen persons connected to Sovcombank; billionaire Gennady Timchenko, his companies Volga Group and Transoil. Timchenko's wife, children, business partner and spouse of his business partner were also named. The State Department also named Timchenko's yacht, the Lena as blocked property.[70][71]
On March 31, 2022, OFAC publicized the existence of a "procurement network engaged in proliferation activities" operating at the direction of Russian intelligence services. The Office claims that the network of companies, including entities based in Russia, United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore and Spain was created to procure Western technologies while disguising that the end user was, in fact, the military and intelligence services of the Russian Federation. The companies and their principals were named and sanctioned.[72][73]
April 2022: sanctions in response to Bucha and alleged war-crimes
Following the retreat of Russian forces the city of Bucha, Kyiv Oblast, witnesses began sharing evidence of atrocities committed during the occupation. Footage showed civilians dead with their hands bound. Other footage showed a dead man next to a bicycle.[74] Journalists entering the city themselves discovered the bodies of more than a dozen people in civilian clothes.[75]CNN,[76] the BBC,[77] and AFP[78] released video documentation of numerous dead bodies of civilians in the streets and yards in Bucha, some of them with tied arms or legs. BBC News said of the 20 bodies on the street, some had been shot in the temple and some bodies had been run over by a tank.[79] On 2 April, an AFP reporter stated he had seen at least twenty bodies of male civilians lying in the streets of Bucha, with two of the bodies having tied hands.[80][81]
As evidence mounted, US President Joe Biden called for Putin to be tried for war crimes and stated that he supported additional sanctions on Russia.[82][83] On April 6, a Senior Biden administration official announced that "the sickening brutality in Bucha has made tragically clear the despicable nature of the Putin regime. And today, in alignment with G7 allies and partners, we’re intensifying the most severe sanctions ever levied on a major economy."[84]
President Biden signed Executive Order14071 of April 6, 2022, "Prohibiting New Investment in and Certain Services to the Russian Federation in Response to Continued Russian Federation Aggression," prohibiting all U.S. persons' investment or in the Russian Federation. Additionally, E.O. 14071 allows the Secretary of the Treasury to determine "any category of services" to be illegal to export by any United States person to any person of the Russian Federation.[85][86]
Closing of American airspace to Russian airlines
The European Union and Canada decided on February 27, 2022, to ban Russian airlines from using their airspace.[87] In the March 1, 2022 State of the Union Address, American President Joe Biden announced that the United States "will join our allies in closing off American air space to all Russian flights – further isolating Russia – and adding an additional squeeze –on their economy."[88]
The ban went into effect at March 2, 2022, 9:00 am Eastern Standard Time (UTC−05:00).[89] The Federal Aviation Administration's official notice was sent as a NOTAM entitled "Special Security Instructions (SSI) Prohibition on Russian Flight Operations in the Territorial Airspace of the U.S." A prohibition against operating to, from, within, or through U.S. territorial airspace was applied to the following:
All aircraft registered in the Russian Federation;
All Russian state aircraft, regardless of the state of registry of the aircraft;
All aircraft, regardless of the state of registry, owned, chartered, leased, operated or controlled by, for, or for the benefit of, a person who is a citizen of the Russian Federation.
In comment accompanying the order United States Secretary of TransportationPete Buttigieg said, “The United States stands with our allies and partners across the world in responding to Putin’s unprovoked aggression against the people of Ukraine.”[92]
"Freeze and seize" enforcement
The main United States sanctions law, IEEPA, blocks the designated person or entity's assets, and also prohibits any United States person from transacting business with the designated person or entity. Specifically, 50 U.S.C.§ 1705 criminalizes activities that "violate, attempt to violate, conspire to violate, or cause a violation of any license, order, regulation, or prohibition," and allows for fines up to $1,000,000, imprisonment up to 20 years, or both. Additionally, United States asset forfeiture laws allow for the seizure of assets considered to be the proceeds of criminal activity.
On 3 February 2022, John "Jack" Hanick was arrested in London for violating sanctions against Konstantin Valeryevich Malofeev [ru; uk; de], owner of Tsargrad TV. Malofeev is targeted for sanctions by the European Union and United States for material and financial support to Donbass separatists.[93][94][95][96][97][98][a] Hanick was the first person criminally indicted for violating United States sanctions during the War in Ukraine.[100]
In the March 1, 2022 State of the Union Address, American President Joe Biden announced an effort to target the wealth of Russian oligarchs.
Tonight, I say to the Russian oligarchs and the corrupt leaders who’ve bilked billions of dollars off this violent regime: No more.
The United States — I mean it. The United States Department of Justice is assembling a dedicated task force to go after the crimes of the Russian oligarchs.
We’re joining with European Allies to find and seize their yachts, their luxury apartments, their private jets. We’re coming for your ill-begotten gains.[103]
On March 2, 2022, U.S. Attorney GeneralMerrick B. Garland announced the formation of Task Force KleptoCapture, an inter-agency effort. The main goal of the task force is to impose the sanctions set against Russian oligarchs to freeze and seize the assets that the U.S. government claimed were proceeds of their illegal involvement with the Russian government and the invasion of Ukraine.[104][105][106][107]
On March 11, 2022, United States President Joseph R. Biden signed Executive Order14068, "Prohibiting Certain Imports, Exports, and New Investment With Respect to Continued Russian Federation Aggression," an order of economic sanctions under the United States International Emergency Economic Powers Act against several oligarchs. The order specifically targeted two properties of Viktor Vekselberg worth an estimated $180 million: an Airbus A319-115 jet and the motoryachtTango.[108] Estimates of the value of the Tango range from $90 million (U.S. Department of Justice estimate) to $120 million (from the website Superyachtfan.com).
On April 4, 2022, Magistrate Judge Zia M. Faruqui signed an Order approving the seizure. Judge Faruqui concluded his order stating, "The seizure of the Target Property is just the beginning of the reckoning that awaits those who would facilitate Putin’s atrocities. Neither the Department of Justice, nor history, will be kind to the Oligarchs who chose the wrong side. […] The Department of Justice’s seizure echoes the message of the brave Ukrainian soldiers of Snake Island."[111]
U.S. legislation to isolate the Russian Federation
On Friday, April 8, 2022, President Biden signed into law two bills from Congress aimed at isolating the Russian Federation:
H.R. 6968 the “Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act,” which statutorily prohibits the importation of energy products from the Russian Federation. This bill passed unanimimously (100 Yea, 0 Nay) in the United States Senate and with a vote of 413 Yea, 9 Nay in the United States House of Representatives.[115][116]
H.R. 7108 the “Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act,” which suspends normal trade relations with the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus and seeks to further leverage trade and human rights sanctions. This bill passed unanimously (100 Yea, 0 Nay) in the United States Senate and in the House of Representatives with a vote of 420 Yea, 3 Nay.[117][118][119]
Condemnation of Russia
US President Joe Biden issued a statement calling the Russian invasion "unprovoked and unreasonable", and accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of waging a "premeditated war that will result in catastrophic loss of life and human suffering".[120]
The United States has informed the United Nations and the Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nations that we are beginning the process of expelling twelve intelligence operatives from the Russian Mission who have abused their privileges of residency in the United States by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security. We are taking this action in accordance with the UN Headquarters Agreement. This action has been in development for several months.
— Spokesperson Olivia Dalton, Statement on the Decision to Initiate the Expulsion of Russian Diplomats in New York, U.S. Mission to the United Nations
Biden called Putin "a war criminal" in response to reporters' questions on March 16.[123][124]
Biden additionally condemned Russian oligarchs who had supported Putin, stating that "We are joining with our European allies to find and seize your yachts, your luxury apartments, your private jets. We are coming for your ill-begotten gains."[125] The Biden administration also condemned Putin's decision to place Russia's nuclear deterrence forces on high alert.[126]
In a speech on March 26, Biden declared in a speech that Putin "cannot remain in power". However, the White House later released a statement saying that Biden's "point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin's power in Russia, or regime change". In response to Biden's statement, the Kremlin stated that whether or not Putin remained in power was the choice of the Russian people.[127][128]
In a phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Biden called Russia's military activities “unprovoked and unjustified.”[129]
Joe Biden made his first visit to Kyiv since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, on 20 February 2023.[131][132] Only two journalists followed him, having been sworn to secrecy three days previous due to security concerns, and his travel arrangements had not been made public even just before his arrival.[133] Biden's visit received a mixed reaction.
[134][135][136]
International influence
According to a leaked classified Pakistani cable, at a March 7, 2022 meeting, the U.S. State Department encouraged the Pakistani government to remove Prime Minister Imran Khan from office because of his neutrality on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[137]
U.S. public support
In May 2023, 46% of respondents agreed that the US should arm Ukraine, while 29% disagreed.
In a poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos and published on October 5, 41 percent of respondents said Washington should arm Ukraine, while 35 percent disagreed.[138]
A poll conducted by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute in June 2024 showed that 57% of respondents supported sending military aid to Ukraine, while 32% opposed it. 75% of respondents also agreed that it is important to the United States that Ukraine wins the war, while 17% considered it unimportant.[139][140]
In a survey of 9,424 adults conducted by the Pew Research Center between July 1-7, 2024, 54% of respondents approved continuing to provide military aid to Ukraine, while 31% disapproved; 54% of respondents also approved allowing Ukraine to use US-made weapons to strike targets inside Russian territory (29% did not approve). 48% of respondents agreed that the United States has a responsibility to defend Ukraine (49% disagreed).[141]
^Through Malofeev, Hanick is close to the pro-Russia former Greek defense minister Panos Kammenos and Vladimir Putin gives carte blanche to Tsargrad TV which according to Malofeev is the Russian equivalent to Fox News.[99]
^"Blocking Property With Respect to Certain Russian Energy Export Pipelines." 86 FR47205
^Batashvili, David (30 January 2022). "Geostrategic Activities". Rondeli Russian Military Digest. No. 118. Rondeli Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022. Numerous sources indicated Russian troops' movements in various parts of Russia, in Belarus and in occupied Crimea. As a part of these movements, the Russian Eastern Military District's forces continued to enter Belarus ... the Russian forces already inside or moving into Belarus include those from: the 36th Army's ... the 29th Army's ... the 35th Army's ... the 5th Army's ... the Pacific Fleet's 155th Naval Infantry Brigade ... the 76th Air Assault Division's ... the 98th Airborne Division's ... the 11th Air Assault Brigade ...
^Isachenkov, Vladimir (19 January 2022). "Russia moves more troops westward amid Ukraine tensions". ABC News. Contribution by Aamer Madhani and Ellen Knickmeyer (Washington D.C.), Geir Moulson (Berlin), Lorne Cook (Brussels), and Yuras Karmanau (Kyiv); Photograph by Associated Press. Moscow: American Broadcasting Company. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2022. A senior Biden administration official said the Russian troop deployment to Belarus raises concerns that Moscow may be planning to stage troops there to stretch Ukraine's defenses with an attack from the north.
^Sanger, David E. (20 January 2022). "Biden Predicts Putin Will Order Ukraine Invasion, but 'Will Regret Having Done It'". The New York Times. Washington D.C.ISSN0362-4331. Retrieved 1 February 2022. President Biden said on Wednesday that he now expected President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia would order an invasion of Ukraine, delivering a grim assessment that the diplomacy and ... 'The answer is that I think he still does not want a full-blown war, No. 1. No. 2, do I think he'll test the West, test the United States and NATO as significantly as he can? Yes, I think he will, but I think he'll pay a serious and dear price for it that he doesn't think now will cost him what it's going to cost him. And I think he will regret having done it.'
^87 FR10293 "Blocking Property of Certain Persons and Prohibiting Certain Transactions With Respect to Continued Russian Efforts To Undermine the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine"
^Bureau of Industry and Security. "Implementation of Sanctions Against Russia Under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR)." published 3 March 2022. 87 FR12226
^87 FR13625 "Prohibiting Certain Imports and New Investments With Respect to Continued Russian Federation Efforts To Undermine the Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of Ukraine"
^"Prohibiting Certain Imports, Exports, and New Investment With Respect to Continued Russian Federation Aggression." 87 FR14381