U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Chinese Company Aiding Russia's Wagner Group in Ukraine
In a recent development, the United States has imposed sanctions on a Chinese satellite technology company, Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Innovation Research Institute, also known as Spacety China. The company, based in Changsha, Hunan Province, has been accused of providing satellite images to Terra Tech, a Russia-based technology firm, which has previously been penalized for its ties to the Wagner Group.
Founded in 2016, Spacety China specializes in small satellites, including CubeSats and microsatellites, for Earth observation, scientific research, and technology demonstration. It has launched over 30 satellites and is developing a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation to provide global Earth observation services. Spacety offers Satellites-as-a-Service, enabling customers to access space-based data without owning satellite infrastructure.
The Wagner Group, a private military contractor reportedly active in Ukraine, has been accused of using satellite images to support its fight procedures. However, as of the latest updates, there are no confirmed public records from credible sources of direct US sanctions specifically targeting Spacety China for supplying images to the Wagner Group in Ukraine.
The US Treasury Department has also approved sanctions against Spacety China's Luxembourg-based subsidiary. The Chinese space sector overall is under strategic scrutiny by the US, but private firms like Spacety have not been explicitly singled out for sanctions in this context, according to available data.
It is important to note that Wagner, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin, plays a crucial role in Russia's war efforts and has been heavily involved in efforts to capture Bakhmut, a city in eastern Ukraine. The US has imposed sanctions on over 15 entities, 8 individuals, and 4 aircraft, many of them based in Russia, associated with Wagner's global support network.
The US Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, stated that the expanded sanctions on Wagner, along with new sanctions on their partners and other companies supporting the Russian military, will further limit Putin's ability to arm and outfit his military equipment.
This article was last updated on January 27, 2023. For any new developments, verification from official US government sanction lists or credible news outlets would be necessary for confirmation.
[1] Spacety China - Official Website [2] US-China Economic and Security Review Commission - Annual Report 2021
- Despite the US sanctions on Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Innovation Research Institute (also known as Spacety China), the company continues to offer Satellites-as-a-Service for Earth observation, scientific research, and technology demonstration, using small satellites, CubeSats, and microsatellites.
- While the US Treasury Department has approved sanctions against Spacety China's Luxembourg-based subsidiary, there are still no confirmed public records from credible sources that directly link Spacety China's supplying of satellite images to the Wagner Group in Ukraine, as the primary reason for the sanctions on the Chinese satellite technology firm.
