Expert says US sanctions increasingly target Russia's transnational companies

US sanctions are increasingly targeting the growing transnational reach of Russia's economy, according to Russian expert Fyodor Voitolovsky, as cited by state news agency TASS.

Voitolovsky noted that investment by Indian companies expanding their international operations is growing, while a number of Russian companies have similarly become more transnational in scope, a trend he suggested is drawing increased attention from US sanctions policy.

The comments point to a broader pattern in which Russian firms have sought to expand their international footprint despite years of Western sanctions imposed in response to Russia's actions in Ukraine, with sanctions authorities adapting their focus to address companies operating across multiple jurisdictions.

According to the analysis, the growing transnational character of some Russian companies presents both a challenge and a target for sanctions regimes, as firms with international operations can be harder to isolate but also become subject to secondary sanctions risk in the countries where they operate.

The reference to Indian companies suggests a broader comparison being drawn between the internationalization strategies of firms from different countries, with Voitolovsky's comments framing Russian corporate expansion as part of a wider global trend rather than an isolated phenomenon.

TASS did not provide additional detail on which specific Russian companies or sectors have been most affected by the sanctions measures referenced, nor on the timeline for any recent expansion of the sanctions regime targeting transnational firms.

The comments come as Western governments continue to refine sanctions targeting Russia's economy, seeking to close gaps that allow sanctioned entities to operate through international corporate structures.