The Biden administration announced sanctions targeting an expansive list of Russian elites and family members who continue supporting President Vladimir Putin.
The White House said the United States and its allied governments will work to identify and freeze the assets Russian elites and their family members hold in their respective jurisdictions including their yachts, luxury apartments, money, and other ill-gotten gains.
The list includes Nikolai Tokarev, his wife Galina, daughter Mayya, and his two luxury real estate companies; Boris Rotenberg, his wife Karina, and his sons Roman and Boris; Arkady Rotenberg, his sons Pavel and Igor and daughter Liliya; Sergei Chemezov, his wife Yekaterina, his son Stanislav, and stepdaughter Anastasiya; Igor Shuvalov, his five companies, his wife Olga, his son Evgeny and his company and jet, and his daughter Maria and her company; Yevgeniy Prigozhin, his three companies, his wife, Polina, his daughter Lyubov, and his son Pavel; Dmitry Peskov, President Putin’s press secretary; and Alisher Usmanov, his superyacht, and his private jet.
Washington said Germany seized Usmanov’s 512-foot yacht the Dilbar, which is one of the world’s largest. But Forbes quoted the Ministry for Economy and Innovation in the German state of Hamburg as saying that the country’s authorities have not seized it.
Usmanov’s private jet is one of Russia’s largest privately owned aircraft.
The United States Department of State will also impose visa restrictions on 19 oligarchs and 47 of their family members and close associates. “As President Biden said, we will continue to work with our Allies and partners to hold accountable the Russian oligarchs and corrupt leaders who are profiting from this violent regime,” the White House said.
“These individuals have enriched themselves at the expense of the Russian people, and some have elevated their family members into high-ranking positions. Others sit atop Russia’s largest companies and are responsible for providing the resources necessary to support Putin’s invasion of Ukraine,” the White House said in a fact sheet.
These individuals and their family members will be cut off from the U.S. financial system, their assets in the United States will be frozen and their property will be blocked from use. The Department of Treasury will share financial intelligence and other evidence with the Department of Justice to support criminal prosecutions and seizure of assets.
The Department of Treasury will designate seven Russian entities and 26 Russia and Ukraine-based individuals who play central roles in these organizations, enabling the Russian Government’s efforts to spread disinformation and influence perceptions as a part of their invasion of Ukraine.
The targeted Russian entities are SDN Strategic Culture Foundation and associated outlets Odna Rodyna, Rhythm of Eurasia, and Journal Kamerton; SouthFront; SDN InfoRos; New Eastern Outlook; Oriental Review; United World International; and Geopolitical.
In response to Russia’s deadly military attack against Ukraine, assets owned by Putin’s enablers are emerging as key targets of the US and European allies.
French authorities last week had seized a Russian cargo ship as it was heading to Saint Petersburg.
French officials also took the Amore Vero, the yacht they said is owned by Sechin, the CEO of the Russian oil company Rosneft.
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