The Facts
On Tues., the US Treasury Dept. imposed a new round of sanctions on members of Kremlin-linked elites, including Alina Maratovna Kabaeva, a former Olympic athlete and MP who is reportedly the girlfriend of Russia's Pres. Putin.
She's among 13 Russian nationals recently added to the sanctions list as the US targets Russian officials and companies over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The only way to make Putin halt the invasion of Ukraine is to squeeze members of his inner circle. Harsh sanctions will at very least force him to the table over the situation in Ukraine.
Establishment-critical narrative
Western sanctions on Putin's inner circle won't work. They only expose how little the West understands about the relation between the Kremlin and the so-called "Russian oligarchs." Only sanctions that effectively weaken the Russian economy will force Putin to reevaluate the war in Ukraine.
