The United States is moving to impose sanctions on Vladimir Potanin, one of Russia's richest men, but would not sanction Nornickel, the company where he is a major shareholder, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing U.S. officials.
The action, which may come as early as Thursday, is expected to include sanctions against Potanin, his wife Ekaterina Potanina, a yacht he owns and some of his financial companies, the newspaper reported.
Nornickel, the world's top palladium and refined nickel producer, was one of the biggest prizes in the post-Soviet carve-up of Russian industry in 1990s.
The company declined to comment on the report.
Interros, an investment holding company Potanin controls, and Rosbank, which Interros bought from Societe Generale SA earlier this year, will be included in the sanctions list, the newspaper said.
Potanin, 61, is the largest shareholder at MMC Norilsk Nickel PJSC or Nornickel. Interros, owns 36% of Nornickel. Interros did not immediately reply to a Reuters' request to comment.
The United States and its allies have imposed multiple rounds of sanctions on Moscow since Russia's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine.
Several members of the Russian government will also receive sanctions designations in the latest round, the Wall Street Journal added.
The U.S. Treasury Department declined to comment.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington; Editing by Paul Grant and Jonathan Oatis)
