Britain has followed the US in sanctioning Vladimir Putin’s two adult daughters.
The Foreign Office announced travel bans and asset freezes against Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov’s daughter, Yekaterina Sergeyevna Vinokurova, is also being targeted by the measures, designed to squeeze the “lavish lifestyles” of Mr Putin’s inner circle over the invasion of Ukraine.
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Vladimir Putin and Putin’s ex-wife Lyudmila (centre of pic) with daughters Katerina and Maria in 2002. Pic: kremlin.ru
America has already sanctioned the Russian president’s daughters in retaliation for atrocities in Ukraine and the European Union is expected to follow suit.
Ms Tikhonova, 35, Ms Vorontsova, 36, and Ms Vinokurova, 39, appeared on an updated UK sanctions list.
Britain has now sanctioned more than 1,200 individuals and businesses in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that was launched in February.
Measures against banks in Russia have also been tightened this week while the US and the UK have also introduced bans on inward investment in the country.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “Our unprecedented package of sanctions is hitting the elite and their families, while degrading the Russian economy on a scale Russia hasn’t seen since the fall of the Soviet Union.
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“But we need to do more. Through the G7, we are ending the use of Russian energy and hitting Putin’s ability to fund his illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.
“Together, we are tightening the ratchet on Russia’s war machine, cutting off Putin’s sources of cash.”