The EU first approved the move to take action against Vladimir Putin and his associate on Friday afternoon, 25 February 2022.
“EU Foreign Affairs Council has adopted the 2nd sanctions package, asset freeze includes President of Russia and its Foreign Minister. We will prepare the 3d package #StandWithUkraine,” Latvia’s Foreign Minister Edgard Rinkevics tweeted.
The US was next to strike, targetting other members of Putin’s inner circle, including several members of Russia’s National Security Council like Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov.
“Treasury has previously designated eleven members of the Russian Security Council and will continue to impose costs on the ruling elite as Russia prosecutes this brutal war of choice,” the US Treasury Department said.
They aren’t the only ones honing in on Putin as earlier in the week, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson plans to introduce new sanctions against Putin and Lavrov “imminently” on top of sanctions the British government announced recently.
Given the fact that Putin’s net worth is a jaw-dropping $200 billion, the big question here is exactly how much is at stake.