The European Union sanctioned the “butchers” of Bucha and Mariupol and Putin’s inner circle

In a new round of sanctions against 65 individuals and 18 entities are the military in charge of operations against civilians in Ukraine, in addition to Alina Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnastics medalist and alleged “lover” of the Russian president

A woman walks through the streets of a devastated Bucha after the passage of Russian troops (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

The European Union (EU) sanctioned 65 individuals and 18 entities on Friday implicated in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including Russian military commanders named as the “butchers” of Bucha and Mariupol.

Their latest list The sanctions also included Alina Kabaeva, whom he described as “closely associated” with President Vladimir Putin, although he has denied they are romantically linked.

The EU released the names of 65 other people affected by the latest round of sanctions for the invasion from Ukraine, which also included a ban on most oil imports and the withdrawal of Russia’s main lender, Sberbank, from the SWIFT international payment system.

The former Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva is Putin’s alleged mistress

Among the 65 people named is Azatbek Omurbekov, who the EU says led Russian troops as they “killed, raped and tortured civilians in Bucha” , earning him the nickname “Bucha’s Butcher.”

Also named was Mikhail Mizintsev, a general the EU says oversaw the siege and bombardment of Mariupol, in which thousands of people died. Russian strikes on the Sea of ​​Azov port city hit a maternity hospital and a theater, killing hundreds of children, the EU said, dubbing it “the butcher of Mariipol.”

Lieutenant Colonel Azatbek Omurbekov, also known as “the Butcher of Bucha”, along with the Bishop of Khabarovsk

Another notable addition to the blacklist, which includes more than 1,100 names in all, it’s Kabaeva, a former Olympic gymnastics medalist and later a deputy from Putin’s United Russia party.

In 2008, the Russian newspaper Moskovsky Korrespondent named Kabaeva as Putin’s girlfriend. Putin has rejected the claim and the newspaper closed shortly after the article was published.

The latest sanctions also affected Arkady Volozh, who immediately resigned as editor Yandex overview,the Russian internet giant in which state banks, including Sberbank, have a stake, according to the EU.

The bloc said Yandex was promoting state narratives and reducing the visibility of content critical of the Kremlin, including on the war in Ukraine.

Mikhail Mizintsev, too known as the butcher of Mariupol

Yandex shares fell by as much as 10% following the EU announcement, which came on the 100th day of the Russian invasion, although they subsequently recovered to lose 6% on the day at 1500 GMT.

LaThe EU also hit Russia’s National Settlement Deposit, which Moscow planned to use to service the country’s Eurobonds following Citibank’s withdrawal, raising the risk of a major foreign debt default.

Sanctions against Belarus

Likewise, the EU adopted sanctions against Belarus due to the country’s internal situation. In this case it is also the sixth round that it adopts against the regime of Alexander Lukashenkosince the fraudulent elections of 2020 and affect 12 people and 8 entities.

FILE PHOTO. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (REUTERS)

The bloc will punish high-ranking officials, businessmen and relatives, as well as judges for the repression against civil society and the democratic opposition in Minsk. Among the entities, he highlighted the public broadcaster Belteleradio for disseminating regime propaganda and firing media workers under its control who had participated in democratic protests.

(With information from Reuters and EuropaPress)