Russian Duma proposes tough new sanctions on US

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW

Russian-U.S. trade of agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, rocket engines, and rare minerals used by aircraft giant Boeing could suffer under retaliatory sanctions proposed by Russian lawmakers.

The sanctions bill, posted on the Duma’s official website on Friday, would limit imports of U.S. agricultural, pharmaceutical, tobacco and alcohol products as well as limit the access of American software and hardware.

The sanctions would apply to the US as well as countries which decided "to join or support U.S. sanctions."

Under the bill, cooperation in the nuclear, aviation and rocket production industries would be frozen, and a number of Americans to be named later would be targeted specifically.

American consulting, auditing, and law firms would be forbidden from operating in Russia, and U.S. companies and individuals would be barred from state property sales and privatization, the bill said.

Exports of rare earth products to the U.S. and countries taking part in anti-Russian sanctions would also be banned.

Russian deputies, commenting on the bill, said Russia would stop supplying rocket engines used to launch satellites and titanium used to produce Boeing aircraft.

Russia's VSMPO-AVISMA, the world's largest titanium producer, provides up to 40 percent of Boeing’s titanium, 60 percent of EADS’ (Airbus), and 100 percent to Brazil’s Embraer.

Last year Russia supplied 11 RD-180 rocket engines to the U.S., a record number. The U.S. buys Russian rocket engines for both their efficiency and their low price.

It is unclear if the proposed measures have the backing of the Kremlin.