By Gabriela Baczynska

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union on Friday blacklisted Russian navy commanders who it mentioned led troops concerned in atrocities in Ukraine, describing them because the “butchers” of Bucha and Mariupol.

Its newest sanction listing additionally included Alina Kabaeva, whom it described as “carefully related” with President Vladimir Putin, though he has denied they’re romantically linked.

The EU launched the names of 65 extra folks focused by the newest spherical of sanctions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which additionally included a ban on most oil imports and eradicating Russia’s high lender Sberbank from the worldwide SWIFT funds system.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon the EU blacklist and there was no rapid public remark by these focused by the bloc.

Among the many 65 folks named was Azatbek Omurbekov, who the EU mentioned led Russian troops as they “killed, raped and tortured civilians in Bucha”, incomes him the nickname “Butcher of Bucha”.

Additionally named was Mikhail Mizintsev, a basic the EU mentioned oversaw the siege and bombardment of Mariupol that killed hundreds. Russian strikes on the Azov Sea port metropolis hit a maternity hospital and a theatre, killing a whole bunch of youngsters, the EU mentioned, dubbing him “the Butcher of Mariupol”.

One other distinguished addition to the blacklist, which incorporates greater than 1,100 names in whole, is Kabaeva, a former Olympic medallist in gymnastics after which a member of parliament with Putin’s United Russia occasion.

In 2008, Russian newspaper Moskovsky Korrespondent named Kabaeva as Putin’s girlfriend. Putin has rejected the assertion and Reuters couldn’t independently affirm it. The newspaper closed quickly after the article appeared.

The newest sanctions additionally hit Arkady Volozh, who instantly stepped down as chief govt of Yandex (NASDAQ:), Russian web large the place state-owned banks together with Sberbank personal a stake, the EU mentioned.

The bloc mentioned Yandex was selling state narratives and reducing the visibility of content material important of the Kremlin, together with on the struggle in Ukraine.

Yandex shares fell by as a lot as 10% following the EU announcement, which got here on the a hundredth day of Russia’s invasion, although later recovered to a 6% loss on the day at 1500 GMT.

The EU additionally hit Russia’s Nationwide Settlement Depository, which Moscow deliberate to make use of to service the nation’s Eurobonds after Citibank withdrew, elevating the danger of a significant exterior debt default.