The United States imposed sanctions against the Uzbek cement plant Akhangarancement and Akkermann Cement CA, the company founded by an entity owned by Alisher Usmanov's USM holding, the US Treasury Department said.

In May 2021, a company from Cyprus, Lamanka Enterprises, acquired an 84.197% stake in the Akhangarancement plant. The value of the transaction was then estimated at 557.6 billion soums. In January 2022, Lamanka Enterprises and Giacinttar from the British Virgin Islands announced the sale of their shares in Akhangarancement for 1.88 trillion soums. Later it became known that the buyer of the shares is Akkermann Cement CA, established by a company from Alisher Usmanov's USM holding.

“Usmanov has a network of offshore companies, and through family members he can conduct financial transactions, which potentially allows him to bypass sanctions,” the US Treasury said.

The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a license to wind down transactions involving a number of companies on the new sanctions list, including Akkermann Cement CA, through July 11.

The sanctions list includes natives and citizens of Uzbekistan:

- Ismailova Gulbahor Burkhanovna - DOB 1959 in Tashkent, she has nationality of Uzbekistan, Russia and Cyprus;

- Kuchkarova Gulnoz Zunnurovna - DOB 1982 in Tashkent, an Uzbek national;

- Narzieva Nasiba Erkinovna - DOB 1984 in Tashkent, an Uzbek national;

- Narzieva Saodat Burkhanovna – DOB 1965, citizen of Uzbekistan;

- Nasirkhodzhaev Shokhrukh Olimdzhonovich - DOB 1980, citizen of Uzbekistan;

- Viner Natan Adadievich - DOB 1973 in Tashkent.

The press release of the Treasury Department mentions a certain "Usmanov’s Cypriot network."

The directors of Almenor are a resident of Cyprus, Kostas Giannakou, a citizen of Cyprus, Marilena Georgiou, and a citizen of the Russian Federation - Cyprus Kuchkarova Gulnoz Zunnurovna, who also has citizenship of Uzbekistan.

Ismailova Gulbahor Burkhanovna is the founder of The Sister Trust.

An Uzbek national, Nasirkhojaev Shokhrukh Olimjonovich is the CEO of Hamriyah Steel FZC, a company based in the United Arab Emirates.

In addition, the US Department of the Treasury included Nasirkhodzhaev's wife, Narzieva Nasiba Erkinovna, as well as her mother, an Uzbek national Narzieva Saodat Burkhanovna, in the list. She is the sister of Alisher Usmanov.

In general, all of the above persons are associated with Alisher Usmanov.

Earlier in April 2022, three natives of Uzbekistan were included in the UK sanctions list.

The sanctions list includes:

- Gulbakhor Ismailova;

- Saodat Narzieva;

- Nigina Zairova.