Further sanctions against Russian citizens and companies has been announced by the United Kingdom on Wednesday.
Several persons described as being in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “inner circle” were included in the sanction.
Among those sanctioned is Vladimir Potanin, described by the United Kingdom as Russia’s second-richest man.
He is said to have an estimated net worth of nearly $16 billion, and is a “key supporter of the Kremlin” accused of continuing “to amass wealth as he supports Putin’s regime.”
Putin’s cousin Anna Tsivileva has also been sanctioned.
As president of the Russian coal mining company JSC Kolmar Group — also sanctioned Tuesday — the UK believes Tsivileva and her husband Sergey Tsivilev, the governor of the coal-rich Kemerovo region, have “significantly benefitted” from their relationship with Putin.
The UK’s latest sanctions also target Russian citizens and companies for their alleged involvement in supporting the Assad regime in Syria, a key Russian ally in the Middle East.
“As long as Putin continues his abhorrent assault on Ukraine, we will use sanctions to weaken the Russian war machine.
“Today’s sanctions show that nothing and no one is off the table, including Putin’s inner circle,” a UK government spokesperson said.