EU weighs sanctions on some of Russia’s wealthiest tycoons
LA TimesTo pressure President Vladimir Putin, the EU is discussing sanctions on executives of Russian state-owned companies and other prominent businesspeople. The list, which still needs to be approved by European governments and could change before that happens, includes a handful of billionaires who haven’t yet been hit by sanctions in the U.S.: metals tycoon Alisher Usmanov, Alfa Group owners Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven, plus Alexei Mordashov, who controls a major steel company. Also proposed for restrictions are President Vladimir Putin’s longtime spokesman Dmitry Peskov, as well as a number of state-media figures the EU accuses in the documents of spreading disinformation. Earlier on Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the bloc would ban Russian state-backed media RT and Sputnik, bar Russian aircraft from EU airspace and increase military aid to Ukraine. Initial sanctions on 23 high-ranking individuals agreed upon last week in retaliation for Putin’s recognition of separatist territories in eastern Ukraine included banking executives, military chiefs, media figures and a top Kremlin official, but not that many billionaires.