Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of big businesses at the Kremlin in Moscow on February 24, 2022. – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said his country wanted to remain part of the world economy and had no plans to harm it. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, killing dozens and triggering warnings from Western leaders of unprecedented sanctions. Russian air strikes hit military installations across the country and ground forces moved in from the north, south and east, forcing many Ukrainians flee their homes to the sounds of bombing. (Photo by Alexey NIKOLSKY / SPUTNIK / AFP)
Ukraine latest: Vladimir Putin’s daughters to face US sanctions
The US believes some of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s children are in charge of his assets, which is why they are targeting them
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of big businesses at the Kremlin in Moscow on February 24, 2022. – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said his country wanted to remain part of the world economy and had no plans to harm it. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, killing dozens and triggering warnings from Western leaders of unprecedented sanctions. Russian air strikes hit military installations across the country and ground forces moved in from the north, south and east, forcing many Ukrainians flee their homes to the sounds of bombing. (Photo by Alexey NIKOLSKY / SPUTNIK / AFP)
The European Union and the United States government are now set to impose further sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, this time targeting two of his mysterious daughters.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced sanctions she said were aimed at key Russian financial and state-owned bodies, as well as some officials and oligarchs. Psaki said the move about holding accountable, the Russian kleptocracy that funds and supports Putin’s war.
It’s been more than a month since Russia launched an offensive on its neighbour Ukraine, which has now morphed into a humanitarian crisis as more than 3.5 million have fled to neighbouring countries like Poland and Hungary.
Shocking images have been circulating, showing the bodies of what are believed to be innocent Ukrainian civilians killed by Russian troops during the invasion. The Kremlin had previously said it would deescalate in its attacks, but NATO doesn’t believe it intends on doing so anytime soon.
YOU CAN ALSO READ: Moscow accuses Ukraine of ‘staging’ new footage of dead civilians
WHY IS THE US SANCTIONING PUTIN’S DAUGHTERS?
Vladimir Putin rarely talks about his children, and not much is known about them or the extent of their involvement in their father’s political affairs (if any). But the US said it was sanctioning his daughters Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova “for being the adult children of Putin, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked”.
An official from the Joe Biden administration says they targeted the two women as they believe they might be in charge of their father’s assets.
“We have reason to believe that Putin, and many of his cronies, and the oligarchs, hide their wealth, hide their assets, with family members that place their assets and their wealth in the US financial system, and also many other parts of the world. We believe that many of Putin’s assets are hidden with family members, and that’s why we’re targeting them,” the official said.
YOU CAN ALSO READ: Lesbians from Ukraine find safety in Poland amid Russian war
