United States includes Putin's rumored girlfriend in latest round of sanctions
Alina Kabaeva, a former member of the state Duma, has long been romantically linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The United States included Russian President Vladimir Putin's reported girlfriend, Alina Maratovna Kabaeva, in the latest round of sanctions announced Tuesday.
The Treasury Department noted that Kabaeva, a 39-year-old former member of the state Duma and Olympic gymnast, has "a close relationship to Putin" and currently leads the National Media Group, which produces pro-Kremlin content across a range of platforms.
The United Kingdom and European Union have previously sanctioned Kabaeva, who the Wall Street Journal reports is the mother to at least three of Putin's children.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}RUSSIAN OLIGARCH, KNOWN AS ‘PUTIN’S CHEF,' TARGETED WITH SANCTIONS IS ON FBI'S MOST WANTED LIST
While the sanctions might make a dent in Putin's pocketbook, his interest in Ukraine trumps any economic considerations, according to Rebekah Koffler, a former Defense Intelligence Agency officer and author of "Putin's Playbook: Russia's Secret Plan to Defeat America."
"Sanctioning Kabayeva will have some impact on Putin’s personal finances because he is keeping his fortunes spread out among the bank accounts of closest friends and family. But Putin is possibly the richest person in the world, possibly wealthier than Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates or Elon Musk, with his wealth ranging from $100 billion to $200 billion," Koffler told Fox News Digital.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"So sanctioning his girlfriend and mother of several of his children will almost certainly do nothing to change his policy and strategy towards Ukraine, the United States, or the West."
Other people close to Putin have also been hit with sanctions in recent months, including two of his adult daughters, Mariya Putina and Katerina Tinkonova.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"As innocent people suffer from Russia’s illegal war of aggression, Putin’s allies have enriched themselves and funded opulent lifestyles," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Tuesday.
"The Treasury Department will use every tool at our disposal to make sure that Russian elites and the Kremlin’s enablers are held accountable for their complicity in a war that has cost countless lives."