Putin’s lover and ex-wife hit with British sanctions
THE UK has enforced sanctions on Vladimir Putin’s reputed girlfriend as well as his ex-wife and several close friends who are believed to be holding assets on his behalf.
Alina Kabaeva, a 39-year-old former Olympic gymnast, will face a visa ban and an asset freeze along with a dozen friends and relatives of the Russian president, the Foreign Secretary announced.
Liz Truss said: “We are exposing and targeting the shady network propping up Putin’s luxury lifestyle and tightening the vice on his inner circle.
“We will keep going with sanctions on all those aiding and abetting Putin’s aggression until Ukraine prevails.”
Ms Kabaeva, who is rarely seen in public, has not addressed rumours that she may be secretly married to Mr Putin or have children by him.
In March the Swiss government issued an official statement debunking rumours that the gymnast was living in a remote chalet with her children after coming under pressure to expel her.
Russian journalists have previously uncovered a complex web of property links between Mr Putin’s inner circle and Ms Kabaeva’s family.
In 2016, Russia’s TV Rain channel reported that Mr Putin and his childhood friend both transferred the ownership of three apartments in affluent areas of Moscow and St Petersburg’s to Ms Kabaeva’s grandmother.
The Government is also targeting Lyudmila Ocheretnaya, Mr Putin’s exwife, who is believed to have remarried after the couple divorced in 2014. Their two daughters were not included in the sanctions list.
Russian activists have for years called for sanctions against individuals who amassed incredible riches through their apparent ties to the president.
The Foreign Office said: “The sanctions will hit this cabal who owe Putin their wealth and power, and in turn support Putin and his war machine.”
After the list was published, Russia’s foreign ministry issued a statement denouncing the UK’S “extremely hostile policy towards our country” and urging its citizens to “refrain from visiting the UK or trying to obtain a British visa”.