Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from 1999 until 2008. He was also the Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012.
Ukraine conflict: Why Russia is mostly protected from sanctions
theconversation.comWhen U.S. President Joe Biden released the first wave of sanctions on Russia on Feb. 22, he vowed to make Vladimir Putin “a pariah on the international stage” for his aggression against Ukraine.
The Biden administration began by sanctioning two Russian banks and 42 of their subsidiaries, five Russian-flagged cargo vessels, tankers and container ships, and three men who make up Putin’s inner circle, and their family members.
By the end of the week, after Putin’s forces had fully invaded Ukraine, the U.S. Treasury had scaled-up its actions, disrupting Russian banks’ access to U.S.
dollars. The European Union, United Kingdom and Canada have all followed with similar measures. Many have called the scale of the sanctions “unprecedented,” but let’s be clear: The price Russia has paid for its invasion of Ukraine amounts to economic penalties against two large financial institutions, dozens of smaller Russian entities and some of Putin’s known associates, so far.
