Commanders, ministers and bank chiefs: The EU goes after Putin’s closest circle

euronews.com:

The European Union is hitting Vladimir Putin’s closest circle in a new round of sanctions that come barely 48 hours after the Russian president recognised the breakaway provinces of Donbas, in eastern Ukraine, as independent territories, triggering international condemnation and fears of an imminent invasion.

The list of targets includes Russia’s defence minister, Putin’s chief of staff, the foreign ministry spokesperson and several army commanders, Euronews can confirm.

In total, 27 high-ranking individuals and entities will be punished.

They will all be subject to asset freezes: EU-based banks will be prohibited from making funds available to them, although this will depend on the degree of cooperation from the financial entities.

The targets are also being slapped with travels bans, which means they are banned from entering or passing through EU territory.

The move is believed to be one of the strongest retaliatory reactions the EU has ever take against the Russian Federation, a country that provides 40% of the bloc's gas supplies.

"This package of sanctions will hurt Russia, and it will hurt a lot, said Josep Borrell, the EU’s top diplomat, on Tuesday afternoon after the political agreement was reached.

Borrell confirmed Putin himself has been excluded from the package. He also said the bloc could have gone further in its response but compromises had to be made to reach unanimity.

The final details were unveiled on Wednesday afternoon after putting the finishing touches.

The penalties will enter into force once they are published in the EU's official journal. All member states will be required to comply with the measures.

The latest raft of sanctions presents a pronounced military component, reflecting the high and