WASHINGTON — The U.S. will impose a new round of economic sanctions on Russia, the White House announced on Wednesday, including on the adult children of President Vladimir Putin, in response to new accusations he committed war crimes in Ukraine.
The U.S. and allies in Europe have already imposed a series of sanctions, including limiting Russian imports and largely cutting the nation off from the international financial system.
European allies are also expected to announce new sanctions.
President Joe Biden said on Monday that he would roll out more sanctions after calling Putin a “war criminal” for the reported attacks on civilians in Bucha, including images of civilians shot with their hands tied behind their backs.
The U.S. will prohibit any new investments in the Russian Federation, the White House said. Many major U.S.-based corporations, including Starbucks and McDonald’s, announced they were withdrawing or limiting their operations in Russia after the country launched an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February.
These sanctions also target the families of influential Russians.
Those included are Putin’s adult children, the wife and daughter of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and members of Russia’s Security Council, including former President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
“These individuals have enriched themselves at the expense of the Russian people,” the White House argued in a statement announcing the new sanctions. “Some of them are responsible for providing the support necessary to underpin Putin’s war on Ukraine.”
The White House said the U.S. would also impose blocking sanctions on Russia’s largest financial institution Sberbank and on the country’s largest private bank, Alfa Bank. The U.S will also impose full blocking sanctions on any state-owned entities in Russia.
The U.S. Treasury will also prohibit Russia from making debt payments with any funds subject to U.S. jurisdictions, the White House said.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
