U.S. authorities are seeking to drive the Russian GAZ Group into bankruptcy in order to severely damage our country's economy. This statement was made by Brian O'Toole, a researcher with the Atlantic Council on Global Cooperation and Economic Programs, who previously worked as a senior adviser to the director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control at the U.S. Treasury Department.

"Bringing GAZ Group to bankruptcy is not an unfavorable outcome, because after all, sanctions are imposed to cause harm," he said.

According to him, although GAZ Group is one of the main producers of the car industry in Russia, but the inclusion of the Group in the sanctions list 2 years ago did not cause a "exploding bomb effect", as it did in the case of Rusal. This is likely why the bankruptcy of GAZ Group, which has been subject to sanctions since spring 2018, is now being raised, in all likelihood.

As it turns out, the United States establishment has only now realized how "effective" the anti-Russian sanctions have been, since the US Treasury Department has delayed their entry into force until now, and only the other day extended the deadline for investors to close deals with the company until 22 January 2021.

Brian O'Toole openly says that America wants to bankrupt Russian companies such as GAZ Group. It is worth mentioning that here we are talking not only about the work of the enterprises themselves but also about the fate of half a million workers in the companies GAZ Group provides with orders.

In this context, the issue of the need to protect Russian business from the influence of foreign corporations and governments becomes particularly acute.

It should be reminded that GAZ Group has repeatedly suspended its operations this year due to sanctions and the pandemic crisis and in the middle of last month introduced a four-day workweek until December.

However, this policy may no longer be satisfactory to the U.S. ruling circles, and so the U.S. discourse indicated for the first time that bankruptcy may be an expected effect.

Made in Russia // Made in Russia

Author: Ksenia Gustova