US Imposes New Sanctions on Russian Elites, Including Putin's Reported Lover

03.08.2022, 14:02 voanews.com

The U.S. imposed new sanctions Tuesday targeting Russian elites, including oligarchs and a woman — one-time Olympic rhythmic gymnast champion Alina Kabaeva — often named in news reports as Russian President Vladimir Putin's lover and mother of four of his children. The Treasury Department froze the visa of Kabaeva, 39, and imposed other property restrictions on her. She is a former member of the Russian Duma, the country's legislative body, and is also head of a Russian national media company that has promoted Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin opponents and Putin critic Alexey Navalny have called for sanctions against Kabaeva, contending that her news outlet had taken the lead in portraying Western commentary on the invasion as a disinformation campaign.