The new sanctions are the latest attempt by the Biden administration to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin as the invasion of Ukraine progresses.
“The goal is to maximize the impact on Putin and Russia,” Biden said, accusing the targeted oligarchs of “accumulating pockets of Russian people’s money while Ukraine and people hide in the subway from rocket launchers.” indiscriminately. “
“It is in our interest to maintain the strongest joint economic campaign against Putin in history, and I think we are really on track to do that,” Biden said.
The new list of individuals described as “Putin’s friends and family members” will be cut from the US financial system, their US assets will be frozen and their assets will be blocked from use, according to a White House report.
There will be full blocking sanctions against eight Russian elites, plus members of their families and associates.
It includes a move to target Putin’s ally Alisher Burkhanovich Usmanov, “one of Russia’s richest men,” according to the White House, and will include his super-yacht and private jet.
The United States has also sanctioned Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, whom the White House describes as “Putin’s main propaganda provider.”
“The United States and governments around the world will work to identify and freeze the assets that Russia’s elite and their family members own in our respective jurisdictions – their yachts, luxury apartments, money and other ill-gotten gains,” the statement said.
According to the White House, the people who will be subject to full blocking sanctions are:
- Nikolay Tokarev (together with his wife Galina, daughter Maya and two luxury real estate companies)
- Boris Rothenberg (with his wife Karina and sons Roman and Boris)
- Arkady Rotenberg (with sons Pavel and Igor and daughter Lilia)
- Sergey Chemezov (together with his wife Ekaterina, son Stanislav and stepdaughter Anastasia)
- Igor Shuvalov (along with five companies, wife Olga, son Evgeny, his company and plane, daughter Maria and her company)
- Evgeny Prigogine (together with his three companies, wife Polina, daughter Lyubov and son Pavel),
- Peskov, Putin’s spokesman
- Alisher Usmanov
The United States will also impose visa restrictions on 19 oligarchs and 47 members of their families and close associates, the White House said in a statement.
This will be aimed at oligarchs “known to lead, empower, finance, significantly support or carry out malicious activities in support of Russia’s destabilizing foreign policy.”
The Ministry of Finance will also impose sanctions for misinformation purposes. These include the SDN Strategic Culture Foundation and the related editions One Homeland, Rhythm of Eurasia and Camerton Magazine; SouthFront; SDN InfoRos; A new eastern perspective; Oriental review; United World International; and geopolitically.
He will also name “26 Russia and Ukraine-based people who play a central role in these organizations, allowing the Russian government to spread misinformation and influence perceptions as part of their invasion of Ukraine.”
Biden has promised to follow in the footsteps of Russian oligarchs, including their private jets, luxury apartments and yachts. The Justice Department announced on Wednesday a working group of various U.S. law enforcement agencies designed to impose sanctions on oligarchs, calling the initiative “Kleptocapture.”
Biden is scheduled to convene his cabinet for a meeting Thursday afternoon as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its second week and most of his administration is involved in the US response.
The cabinet meeting, scheduled for 14:00 ET, is expected to focus much more on foreign policy than usual, CNN reported. The president is expected to make brief remarks at the beginning of the meeting on recent developments in Ukraine.
This is the fourth cabinet meeting during Biden’s presidency. Almost every agency or department expected to be represented at the meeting played some role in the administration’s response to the crisis in Ukraine.
Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Germany last month to meet with allies and deliver a message from the United States at a security conference in Munich. Defense Minister Lloyd Austin has taken full responsibility for military aid to Ukraine, including Stinger anti-aircraft missiles delivered this week. Finance Minister Janet Yellen has backed sanctions packages imposed by the administration over the past week and is also working on telephones with colleagues in Europe to ensure they are coordinated. The Biden administration plans to impose new sanctions on Russian oligarchs and members of their families as early as Thursday, sources familiar with the matter said.
Attorney General Merrick Garland announced on Wednesday that the Kleptocapture task force aims to pursue yachts, private jets and luxury apartments of oligarchs. Trade Minister Gina Raimondo’s department has claimed responsibility for export controls imposed on Russia and Belarus, which curb critical technologies. Transport Secretary Pete Buttigig controls the Federal Aviation Administration, which has banned Russian flights in US airspace.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is working this week to coordinate the release of 30 million barrels from the US Strategic Oil Reserve, along with other nations. Homeland Security Minister Alejandro Mayorkas will oversee the potential status of temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees, as well as ensure that there is no transfer of security concerns to the United States.
Director of National Intelligence Avril Haynes led the U.S. intelligence community in one of its most extraordinary moments, while Biden’s team used a strategy to declassify and reveal intelligence about Russia’s intentions and plans. It also travels to Europe to coordinate intelligence exchanges with allies.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield has taken her top profile so far with speeches in the Security Council and the General Assembly criticizing Russia for its invasion. Acting Director of Government and Budget Shalanda Young will lead the White House’s efforts to provide $ 10 billion in lethal and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will not be present because he is traveling to Europe today to meet with NATO allies.
The president devoted much of his address to the state of the Union on Tuesday to the conflict, as Ukrainian cities continue to be attacked by Russian forces.
One million refugees have fled Ukraine in just one week, according to the United Nations, as Russian troops try to push even harder into the country.
Ukrainian forces have so far managed to prevent initial pressure from Russia and retain control of Kyiv and other major cities, but now Russia is introducing more destructive weapons and increasingly hitting civilian infrastructure, CNN reported. As the invasion enters its second week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is asking for more international help.
The United States and its allies have taken a wide range of actions in recent weeks to punish Moscow for the invasion, including new harsh sanctions and export controls aimed at imposing significant costs on the Russian economy.
Biden announced on Tuesday that the United States would ban Russian aircraft from US airspace, joining a growing number of countries that have closed their skies to Russia. The United States and its allies have also agreed to release 60 million barrels of oil from their reserves.
The United States will also ban US dollar transactions with Russia’s central bank and block Russia’s direct investment fund altogether to prevent Russia from easing some of the effects of the sanctions.
The White House, along with the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Canada, announced this weekend that it would exclude some Russian banks from SWIFT, the high-security network that connects thousands of financial institutions around the world. In a major break in its long-standing neutrality, Switzerland has also announced that it will join the European Union in imposing sanctions on Russia.