We call upon Secretary of State Antony Blinken to formally recognize the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism under the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, Arms Export Control Act, and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. This same legislation named Syria, North Korea, Iran, and Cuba as state sponsors of terrorism. The Russian Federation, per these benchmarks, 100% qualifies as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law.

On April 27, 2022, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke before Congress, saying, "there's no doubt in my mind that the Russians are terrorizing the Ukrainian people."

U.S. State Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and U.S. State Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) drafted a resolution. They called Secretary of State Antony Blinken to formally recognize the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism. Such qualifying acts of terrorism, per the aforementioned governing acts, are not limited to:

-engaged in a campaign of terror and brutal force targeting civilians during the Second Chechen War

-acts carried out by the Russian Federation in Grozny left countless men, women, and children dead or wounded

-support and funding of separatist groups engaging in acts of violence against Ukrainian civilians in the Donbas

-spreads terror throughout the world with the support and financial support of the Wagner Group who engages in acts of terrorism and incites violence in countries such as Ukraine, Syria, Sudan, and Libya

-under the direction of Putin, targeting civilian centers in Chechnya, Georgia, Syria, and Ukraine has resulted in the death of countless innocent men, women, and children

-the Russian Federation has committed numerous summary executions against innocent civilians and has attempted to cover their atrocities with mass graves

The United States and 44 other countries invoked the OSCE Moscow Mechanism for a second time. In addition to the Russian Federation's terrorist activities within its borders and abroad, the OSCE issued a second report in which mission experts found "clear patterns of serious violations of international law attributable mostly to Russian armed forces."

OSCE Report Names:

-directly targeting civilians

-attacks on medical facilities

-rape

-torture

-executions

-forced transfer of civilians to Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and forced deportations to Russia via "filtration centers."

Naming a country on the terrorism list triggers a series of economic sanctions under different U.S. laws. These sanctions include: 
* restrictions on export licenses (or a general ban) for dual-use items or critical technology (under the Export Administration Act of 1979)
* ban on sales or licenses for items on the U.S. Munitions Control List (under the Arms Export Control Act)
* ban on U.S. foreign assistance, including Export-Import Bank credits and guarantees (under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961)
* authorization for the president to restrict or ban imports of goods and services from designated terrorist countries (under the International Security and Development Cooperation Act of 1985)
* prohibition of financial transactions by U.S. persons with the governments of designated terrorist countries (under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996)
* requirement that U.S. representatives at international financial institutions vote against loans or other financial assistance to that country (under the International Financial Institutions Act of 1977)
* ineligibility for the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP, under the Trade Act of 1974)

We, the undersigned, are outraged citizens of the world who demand that the Russian Federation be named as a state sponsor of terrorism immediately. Additionally, we demand delivery of complete and swift legalities based upon this newly designated title.

Authored by: Women For Ukraine - Жінки для України, Underdog Ukraine, Arthur Zgurov for Razom Ukraine, Michal Majzner for Action With Ukraine, and Nordic Ukraine Forum.