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The U.S. Treasury Department designated several Russian companies in actions announced in 2018, 2021 and 2022, citing different kinds of relationships with Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). Its claims included cyber-operation support, ownership or supervision, procurement and licensing—not one uniform accusation. These are selected historical examples, not a complete list or confirmation of any company’s current sanctions status.
Companies and Treasury’s stated grounds
The table separates what Treasury said about each entity from the action date. “Linked to the FSB” describes materially different relationships, so the allegations should not be treated as interchangeable.
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| Company | Treasury action | Relationship Treasury described |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Security | April 2018 | Treasury said it provided material and technological support to the FSB. |
| ERPScan and Embedi | April 2018 | Treasury designated them as entities owned or controlled by Digital Security. |
| Kvant | April 2018 | Treasury said Kvant was owned or controlled by the FSB, supervised by it, and provided material or technological support. It also said Kvant was prime contractor on a project for which the FSB was the end user. |
| Divetechnoservices | April 2018 | Treasury said it procured underwater equipment for Russian government agencies, including the FSB. Treasury described a 2011 contract to procure a submersible craft for the FSB as valued at $1.5 million; that figure is the value of that historical contract, not an overall sanctions amount. |
| Neobit | April 2021 | Treasury said it conducted research and development supporting cyber operations of the FSB, GRU and SVR. |
| AST | April 2021 | Treasury said it provided technical support to cyber operations conducted by the FSB, GRU and SVR, and designated AST for providing support to the FSB. |
| Positive Technologies | April 2021 | Treasury described the company as supporting Russian government clients, including the FSB; providing network-security solutions to a range of customers; and hosting large conventions that Treasury said were used as recruiting events for the FSB and GRU. |
| Echelon Union for Science and Development | September 2022 | Treasury described it as an information-security systems integrator licensed by the FSB and other Russian authorities. |
| Solar Security | September 2022 | Treasury said it held an FSB license to develop, produce and distribute encryption services. |
The 2018 release explicitly framed its action around Russian FSB enablers. In 2021, Treasury described cyber-related support for Russian intelligence services, including the FSB. The 2022 company descriptions appeared in a broader Russia technology-sector sanctions action; an FSB license is a different factual link from alleged operational support. Treasury’s stated grounds for these designations are available in its April 2018 announcement, April 2021 announcement and September 2022 announcement.
What a U.S. sanctions designation generally means
Treasury says that designated persons’ property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked. U.S. persons are generally prohibited from transactions with them. The precise effect for a particular transaction depends on applicable exemptions, authorizations and licenses; this overview is not transaction-specific legal advice. Treasury explains the general blocking effect in its 2018 announcement.
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The 50 Percent Rule
Treasury’s 2021 announcement explains that an entity owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons is also blocked, even if the entity is not separately named on the sanctions list. See Treasury’s 2021 announcement for this rule and its discussion of exemptions and OFAC licenses.
Company-specific allegations are not the same as sector sanctions
OFAC’s sector framework under Executive Order 14024 is a separate authority: it permits sanctions on persons determined to operate or have operated in specified sectors of the Russian economy. In FAQ 1126, OFAC’s list as of January 10, 2025 included technology, defense and related materiel, financial services, aerospace, electronics, marine, accounting, trust and corporate formation services, management consulting, and quantum computing. Inclusion of an entity in a sector-related action does not, by itself, establish the specific FSB relationship Treasury described for another company. Consult OFAC FAQ 1126 for the sector framework; check current OFAC guidance for operational decisions.
Historical announcements do not establish current listing status
The cited releases document what Treasury announced on particular dates; they do not confirm whether each named entity remains listed today. Before dealing with a company, check the current OFAC sanctions data for the exact name and relevant ownership relationships, and review any applicable general license or other authorization. The examples here are selected, not an exhaustive catalogue of Russian companies ever linked to the FSB in U.S. sanctions actions.
Related FSB cyber action in 2023
In a separate 2023 announcement, Treasury described an FSB unit associated with a tailored spear-phishing group known by names including Callisto, Seaborgium and Star Blizzard, and designated two individuals associated with the group. That action provides context for Treasury’s stated concerns about FSB cyber activity; it was not the company-designation action and does not establish allegations against the companies listed above. See Treasury’s 2023 announcement.
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