EU sanctions Putin oligarchs, spokesman over Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chief Executive of oil giant Rosneft Igor Sechin, who was hit with sanctions by the European Union Monday

The European Union on Monday added top Kremlin-linked oligarchs and Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman to its sanctions blacklist as part of its latest round of punishment over the Ukraine invasion. 

The bloc targeted some of the key moneymen accused of backing Putin's regime in response to his ordering Russian forces into Russia's pro-Western neighbour last week.

Three men ranked within Russia's 10 top richest by Forbes were also added: metals magnate Alexei Mordashov, tycoon Alisher Usmanov, and businessman and Putin friend Gennady Timchenko.

Plus there was Sergei Roldugin, a cellist and long-time Putin confidante accused of "'shuffling' at least $2 billion through banks and offshore companies as a part of Putin's hidden financial network." 

"These sanctions will expose the wealth of Putin's elite. Those who enable the invasion of Ukraine will pay a price for their action."

Most prominently these included Putin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov, a central figure in what the West sees as the Kremlin's disinformation machine. 

Putin himself and his foreign minister were also recently subjected to asset freezes as the EU batters the Kremlin with sanctions.

- Oligarch denies political role -

“What is happening in Ukraine is a tragedy for two fraternal nations," he said.

"I have absolutely nothing to do with the emergence of the current geopolitical tension and I do not understand why the EU has imposed sanctions on me."

US State Department Spokesman Ned Price said the US sanctions list would not be identical with those from the EU and Britain, but that they "will ultimately be symmetrical and mutually reinforcing."

He added that the United States would also target "their ability to send their children to boarding schools around the world."

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