President Biden announced new sanctions Wednesday targeting Russian banks and the two adult daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin — with an administration official warning Russians could expect a return to “Soviet-style living standards” due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Just in one year, our sanctions are likely to wipe out the last 15 years of Russia’s economic gains,” Biden said in a speech to labor unions, adding, “We’re gonna stifle Russia’s ability — and its economy — to grow for years to come.”
The White House said the US was imposing full blocking sanctions on Sberbank, which holds a third of all Russian bank assets, and Alfa-Bank, the country’s largest private bank.
“The reality is, the country’s descending into economic and financial and psychological isolation, and at this rate will go back to Soviet-style living standards from the 1980s,” a White House official told reporters.
“Even an autocrat like Putin has a social contract with the Russian people. He took away their freedom in exchange for promising stability. And so he’s not giving them stability at the moment. He’s giving them instability and insecurity … And at some point that ought to matter to any leader — if only because they care about staying in power.”
President Biden warned Putin of severe sanctions ahead of his invasion of Ukraine. Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via APThe new bank sanctions freeze any funds within reach of US authorities and bar US citizens or institutions from engaging in transactions — though “there is a carve-out for energy,” the Biden administration official said. Prior sanctions against the banks restricted their use of US dollars for transactions.
Biden said Wednesday he also will sign an executive order blocking new US investment in Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24.
Mariya Putina and Katerina Tikhonova face sanctions because “we believe that many of Putin’s assets are hidden with family members and that’s why we’re targeting them,” the administration official said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s wife and daughter will also face sanctions, as will relatives of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and former Russian president and prime minister Dmitry Medvedev.
Mariya Putina and Katerina Tikhonova (above) face sanctions. Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Maria Putina, who uses the surname Vorontsova, is the elder of Vladimir Putin’s two adult children. Sputnik via APPutin’s mistress Alina Kabaeva is allegedly hiding in Switzerland with their four young children, The Post reported last month. Kabaeva does not face US sanctions.
Biden warned Putin of severe sanctions ahead of his invasion of Ukraine and the US has ratcheted up penalties with strong bipartisan support.
Last month, the president announced bans on imports of Russian oil, natural gas and coal under intense pressure from Congress, which was preparing to pass legislation to force his hand.
The Biden administration’s continued sanctions carveout for financial institutions doing business with Russia’s energy sector is a nod to Western European nations and multinational companies that continue to use Russian fuel.
President Biden will sign an executive order Wednesday blocking new US investment in Russia. AP
Biden said US sanctions will prevent Russia’s economy from growing in a speech Wednesday at the North America’s Building Trades Unions legislative conference at the Washington Hilton. APBiden announced initially limited sanctions against state-owned Russian banks and certain Russian businessmen when tanks rolled across Ukraine’s borders. After criticism, Biden sanctioned Putin’s vast personal wealth and reached an agreement with US allies to partially unplug Russia from the SWIFT international banking system.
Biden has also imposed limits on certain technology exports to Russia and applied sanctions to a growing list of Russia’s elite. However, Russia’s richest woman, the billionaire Yelena Baturina — who allegedly paid $3.5 million in 2014 to a company linked to first son Hunter Biden — has not yet faced sanctions.
Major US companies have also pulled out of Russia, including Visa, MasterCard and McDonald’s.






