US targets Putin's daughters, Russian banks in new sanctions

The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin's two adult daughters and said it was toughening penalties against Russian banks in retaliation for “war crimes” in Ukraine.

The moves against Sberbank and Alfa Bank prohibit assets from touching the US financial system and bar Americans from doing business with those institutions.

In addition to sanctions aimed at Putin's adult daughters, Mariya Putina and Katerina Tikhonova, the US is targeting Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin; the wife and children of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov; and members of Russia's Security Council, including Dmitry Medvedev, a former president and prime minister.

The penalties cut of all of Putin's close family members off from the US financial system and freeze any assets they hold in the United States.