U.S. Sanctions Those Close to Putin [1]
On March 3, 2022, the White House released a statement [3] outlining its decision to target “additional Russian elites and family members who continue supporting President Putin despite his brutal invasion of Ukraine.” The statement announced that “[t]hese individuals and their family members will be cut off from the U.S. financial system,” which includes having their assets in the United States frozen and their property blocked from use. The statement also announced that “the United States and governments all over the world will work to identify and freeze the assets.” The statement specifically listed the members of Putin’s cabinet and close circle it would be sanctioning, a list that included Dmitry Peskov, President Putin’s press secretary. The statement also indicated that the U.S. it will issue full block sanctions on disinformation targets in addition to imposing visa restrictions on 19 Russian oligarchs, their 47 family members, and close associates.