International pressure has also begun to mount amid the ongoing Russian offensive in Ukraine and war crimes. America has started imposing tough sanctions against Russia. On Wednesday, the US announced an increase in fines on Russian banks and imposition of sanctions targeting the two daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The move seeks to remove Sberbank and Alfa Bank from the US financial system as well as bar US citizens from doing business with these institutions.
In addition, Putin’s daughters Maria Putin and Katarina Tikhonova and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, the wife and children of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, as well as members of the Russian Security Council and former President Dmitry Medvedev are also covered under the US sanctions. The US has removed all close members of the Putin family from the US financial system and frozen all their US-based assets. US President Joe Biden called the latest sanctions “subversive”.
Biden tweeted, “I have made it clear that Russia must immediately pay a heavy price for the atrocities in Bucha.” Biden is expected to sign an executive order that would block any new investment in Russia by US citizens, regardless of where they live in the world. It is noteworthy that after the pictures related to the atrocities of Russian forces in Ukraine’s Bucha city, Western countries have reacted strongly.
A senior Biden administration official said the US thinks some of Putin’s assets may be controlled by his daughters. “We believe that many of Putin’s assets are hidden with family members and that is why we are targeting him,” the official said.
Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said: “We are looking at all the assets and the jet. We are also keeping an eye on immovable property acquired from illegal money. Every bitcoin wallet and other crimes are also being monitored.