Britain places new sanctions on Putin’s inner circle, including his ex-wife and reputed girlfriend.

Britain imposed new sanctions on the family and inner circle of President Vladimir Putin of Russia. Among those blacklisted: Lyudmila Ocheretnaya, Mr. Putin’s former wife; and Alina Kabaeva, a retired Olympic gymnast, with whom he has long been rumored to be romantically involved.

The measures also hit Igor Putin, a first cousin, and two more distant relatives, Mikhail Putin and Roman Putin. All are businesspeople who the British government says have benefited from their ties to the president.

“We are exposing and targeting the shady network propping up Putin’s luxury lifestyle and tightening the vice on his inner circle,” said the foreign secretary, Liz Truss. Britain has imposed sanctions on more than 1,000 people since the invasion, including oligarchs with an aggregate net wealth of 117 billion pounds, or $142 billion. Read more

@nytimes