US Treasury imposes sanctions on 3 Russian oligarchs

By Ovunc Kutlu

ANKARA (AA) - The US Treasury Department announced Thursday that it has imposed sanctions on three Russian oligarchs who have close ties to President Vladimir Putin.

The individuals include Alisher Burkhanovich Usmanov, Nikolay Petrovich Tokarev and Yevgeniy Prigozhin.

The Treasury Department said it blocked Usmanov's superyacht Dilbar, which has an estimated worth of between $600 million and $735 million with an estimated cost to run of $60 million per year.

Usmanov's aircraft, an Airbus A340-300 that cost between $350 million and $500 million, was also blocked.

The sanctions list included oil magnate Tokarev, the president of state-owned pipeline company Transneft, which is responsible for transporting 90% of the oil extracted in Russia.

Tokarev's wife and daughter were also included in the list, while the Treasury Department said the latter has a real estate empire valued at more than $50 million in Moscow.

Prigozhin, who was previously designated pursuant to multiple sanctions authorities for facilitating attempts to interfere in US elections, is the Russian financier of the Internet Research Agency (IRA), which he utilizes to operate global influence operations, it said.

He also attempts to evade sanctions by standing up front and shell companies both in and outside of Russia, it added.

Prigozhin’s wife, daughter and son were also added to the sanctions list.

In addition, a total of 26 Russia- and Ukraine-based individuals and seven Russian entities were also designated.

The Treasury Department also sanctioned Russian intelligence-directed disinformation outlets.

"Russian intelligence services, including the Federal Security Service (FSB), Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), employ disinformation outlets and intelligence service affiliates to spread false narratives that advance Russian strategic objectives to destabilize Ukraine and falsely justify the Kremlin’s activities," it said in its statement.