US Sanctions Putin, Lavrov, Other Russian Security Council Members

"Today, the United States, in coordination with allies and partners, continued to forcefully respond to Russia’s unjustified, unprovoked, and premeditated invasion of Ukraine by imposing sanctions on President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, as well as other members of Russia’s Security Council," the statement said, TASS reported.

"It is exceedingly rare for Treasury to designate a head of state," the statement said.

"As President, Putin is the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces currently undertaking an unjustified incursion into a sovereign European state," the Treasury said. "No one individual is more responsible for Russia’s war against Ukraine, destabilization of Russia’s neighbors, the suffering of the Ukrainian people, and years of Russian malign activities globally."

Lavrov was designated as he, according to the Treasury, "has advanced the false narrative that Ukraine is the aggressor as he has aggressively sought to justify Russia’s actions globally."

The Treasury said the US and its allies and partners "will continue to target Russian elites."

"Those who hold powerful positions within the Government of Russia may be targeted if Russia’s further aggression against Ukraine does not stop," the agency said.

The Treasury said the US previously designated Valentina Matviyenko, Sergey Naryshkin, Vyacheslav Volodin, Sergei Ivanov, Nikolay Patrushev, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Alexander Bortnikov, Igor Krasnov, Igor Shchegolev, Vladimir Ustinov, and Viktor Zolotov.

As a result of designations, all property of the individuals is blocked and all transactions by US persons with these individuals are prohibited.

The US on Friday imposed sanctions on Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, the US Treasury said in a statement.

The Treasury said the restrictions were imposed by the US State Department and were pursuant to US President Joe Biden’s executive order of April 15, 2021 which authorizes sanctions against Russia for its "harmful foreign activities."

"We are united with our international allies and partners to ensure Russia pays a severe economic and diplomatic price for its further invasion of Ukraine," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was quoted as saying in the statement. "If necessary, we are prepared to impose further costs on Russia for its appalling behavior on the world stage."

US actions, the Treasury said, "demonstrate that sanctions will continue to strike directly at those most responsible for Russia’s hostile actions against its neighbors, including the most powerful and wealthy Russian elites.".

Earlier, the European Union adopted the second package of sanctions on Russia over the military operation in Ukraine, which also includes measures against Putin and Lavrov. The UK has also introduced sanctions on the Russian president and foreign minister.

Putin on February 24 announced a special military operation in Ukraine in response to appeals by the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories.