The U.S. Treasury Department has extended until January 8 the validity of a general license allowing American citizens and companies to pay taxes, fees and import duties in Russia.

"U.S. individuals and organizations directly or indirectly owned or controlled by citizens are allowed to pay taxes, fees or import duties, as well as purchase or receive permits, licenses, registrations or certificates <...> until 00:01 on January 8, 2025, US East Coast Time (7:01 Moscow Time)"- the document says.

We are talking about operations that are necessary for American individuals and legal entities to ensure their daily work in Russia.

Thus, the United States extended the exemption from sanctions against the Central Bank, the National Welfare Fund and the Ministry of Finance, which Washington imposed on February 28, 2022.

That decision effectively froze any assets of the Central Bank located in the United States or with American citizens, wherever they are.

Russia has repeatedly stressed that it will cope with the sanctions pressure that the West began to exert several years ago and continues to strengthen. Moscow noted that the initiators of the restrictions do not have the courage to admit the failure of their policy. There have been opinions in Western countries themselves that anti-Russian sanctions are ineffective.