With Putin's war in Ukraine raging on the toll on civilians is growing every day.
There are calls of the West to impose a no fly zone over Ukraine but this has been dismissed by leading members of NATO.
Despite the lack of direct military involvement many countries have imposed sanctions both on Russia and members of Putin's inner circle.
We have gone through some of the key decision makers within Putin's regime, many of whom are subject to sanctions.
Sergei Shoigu - Minster of Defence
Sergei Shoigu is an interesting member of the inner circle because though he has had a close relationship with Putin (they have been on hunting and fishing trips to Siberia), he is also under apparent pressure for the slow progress in the Ukrainian invasion.
A recent picture released of him sitting awkwardly at the other end of a long table to Putin (which some have cited as potential proof that Putin is unwell ) suggests that maybe Shoigu is currently in the dog house.
Vera Mironova, a specialist in armed conflict told the BBC : "Shoigu was supposed to be marching to Kyiv; he's minister of defence and was supposed to win it".
The picture of them "looks like a funeral" added Ms Mironova.
Valery Gerasimov - Chief of general staff of the Russian armed forces
Like Shoigu, Gerasimov was in that awkward looking meeting at the long table.
He is a key strategist in the Kremlin and has the highest rank in the Russian army. He has been described as an "old school Soviet general" and could carry the can for perceived failings in the Ukraine campaign.
Alexander Bortnikov - Director the Federal Security Service (FSB)
Bortnikov has been director of the FSB (the successor of the KGB) since May 2008. He and his son Denis have been hit by US sanctions.
Though close Putin and having a big influence over other law enforcement services he is not known to be someone who would challenge the President.
Sergey Lavrov - Minister for foreign affairs
Lavrov has served in a variety of roles including the Russian representative to the UN.
The experienced diplomatic is known to be cunning and tough as well as being a familiar face on television in the run up to the invasion. Though a prominent member of the clique, he isn't believe to be a key influence over Putin with Sky News reporting that there are rumours he has been trying to retire for years.
Sergei Naryshkin - Director of Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR)
Though the SVR is really secondary to the FSB Naryshkin was, until recently, an important figure. He became acquainted with Putin when they were training to be spies.
In a bizarre TV exchange he was embarrassed by Putin after he appeared to suggest that the aim was to incorporate the eastern parts of Ukraine in to Russia.
"It was shocking. He's incredibly cool and collected so people will have asked what's going on here," Ben Noble, associate professor of Russian politics at University College London told the BBC.
Nikolai Patrushev - Secretary of the Security Council
Patrushev has served with Putin since the 1970's when they were in St Petersberg (then Leningrad) together.
He has been a regular outspoken supportive of Putin's anti US narrative telling the Kommersant newspaper in 2015 that "the US would prefer Russia not to exist at all as a country".
The tweet below shows him meeting Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi:
