US imposes new sanctions on Russian elites, including Putin’s reported lover

The United States on Tuesday imposed new sanctions targeting Russian elites, including oligarchs and a woman – former Olympic champion rhythmic gymnast Alina Kabaeva – often cited in the media as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s lover and mother. of four of his children.

The Treasury Department froze Kabaeva, 39,’s visa and imposed other ownership restrictions on her. She is a former member of the Russian Duma, the country’s legislative body, and is also the head of a Russian national media company that promoted Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin opponents and Putin critic Alexey Navalny have called for sanctions against Kabaeva, saying her outlet has taken it upon itself to portray Western commentary on the invasion as a disinformation campaign.

Britain sanctioned Kabaeva in May and the European Union imposed travel and property restrictions on her in June.

Others sanctioned included Andrey Grigoryevich Guryev, an oligarch who owns the Witanhurst Estate, a 25-bedroom mansion believed to be London’s second-largest estate after Buckingham Palace.

The United States also blocked the movement of his $120 million yacht, the Alfa Nero, and sanctioned his son, Andrey Andreevich Guryev, and his son’s Russian investment company, Dzhi AI Invest OOO.

“While innocent people suffer from Russia’s unlawful war of aggression, Putin’s allies have enriched themselves and funded opulent lifestyles,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

“Along with our allies, the United States will also continue to stifle the revenue and equipment that underpins Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine.”

The State Department also imposed additional visa restrictions and other penalties.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “While Ukrainians continue to valiantly defend their homeland in the face of President Putin’s brutal war, Russia’s elite run huge revenue-generating businesses and fund their own way of life. opulent outside of Russia. Today, the United States is taking additional steps to ensure that the Kremlin and its enablers feel the cumulative effects of our response to the Kremlin’s impermissible war of aggression.”