Russian President Vladimir Putin's rumored mistress, Alina Kabaeva, is among the targets of a new round of sanctions announced by U.K. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on Friday, aimed at Putin's inner circle.
Why it matters: The U.K.'s decision to sanction Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnast, comes several weeks after U.S. officials made a "last-minute" decision to exclude her from U.S. sanctions for fear of further escalating tensions between the U.S. and Moscow, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The big picture: The new sanctions are intended to hit people close to Putin who help support his lavish lifestyle and regime through their positions of power, per the press release.
- Kabaeva is chair of the board of Russia's New Media Group, believed to be the largest Russian private media company.
- Kabaeva's grandmother, Anna Zatseplina, has also been sanctioned, as has Lyudmila Ocheretnaya, Putin's ex-wife, who benefits from favorable business relationships with state-owned companies.
- Igor Putin, the director of Pechenga International Sea Port and President Putin's first cousin, is also on the list, among more distant family members.
What they're saying: "We are exposing and targeting the shady network propping up Putin’s luxury lifestyle and tightening the vice on his inner circle," Truss said in a statement.
- "We will keep going with sanctions on all those aiding and abetting Putin’s aggression until Ukraine prevails."
Zoom out: Putin's family members have been targets of international sanctions before. Last month the U.S. sanctioned Putin's two adult daughters.
Go deeper... Live updates: Russian invasion of Ukraine
