The British authorities have introduced a new package of sanctions that affected Olympic champion Alina Kabaeva, ex-wife of Russian President Vladimir Putin Lyudmila Ocheretnaya, as well as other relatives of the head of state. The list was published on the website of the British government.
The restrictions also affected Putin's cousins Roman and Igor Putin, as well as his nephews Mikhail Putin and Mikhail Shelomov.
In accordance with the new sanctions, the assets of the listed individuals will be frozen, they will be barred from entering and staying in the UK.
The new list of Putin's relatives and friends included:
- Former rhythmical gymnast Alina Kabaeva: The British government believes she has a close personal relationship with the Russian president and previously served as a State Duma deputy for the pro-Putin United Russia party;
- Alina Kabaeva's grandmother: according to the British authorities, she received an apartment in Moscow from an old friend of Vladimir Putin, businessman Gennady Timchenko;
- Vladimir Putin's cousin Igor Putin: serves as the director of the Pechenga seaport;
- Vladimir Putin's cousin-nephew Mikhail Putin: serves as deputy chairman of the board of the SOGAZ insurance company and deputy chairman of the board of Gazprom;
- Vladimir Putin's cousin Roman Putin: according to British officials, he openly declares his relationship with the President of the Russian Federation and emphasizes that this family connection allowed his company Putin Consulting help foreign investors in Russia;
- Vladimir Putin's cousin Mikhail Shelomov: a shareholder of Rossiya Bank, which is closely associated with the Kremlin.
The UK imposed the previous package of sanctions on May 4 against a number of Russians and Russian companies. Russian presidential aide Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov, head of the Otkrytie bank Mikhail Zadornov and CEO of the Rostec state corporation Sergey Chemezov were among those who were affected by the sanctions.