These Sanctioned Russian Individuals Have Direct Access To Putin's Inner Circle

In response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s autonomous region of Crimea, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions Thursday against several prominent Russians with close ties to the Putin government.

“With its currency near an all-time low, its stock market down 20 percent this year and a marked rise in interest rates, Russia has already started to bear the economic costs of its unlawful effort to undermine Ukraine’s security, stability and sovereignty,” David S. Cohen, the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement. “As President Obama has made clear, we will continue to impose costs in direct response to Russia’s provocative acts.”

Here is a list of those individuals:

Gennady Timchenko is one of the founders of Gunvor, one of the world’s largest independent commodity trading companies. His activities in the energy sector have been linked directly to President Vladimir Putin. Putin has investments in Gunvor and may have access to Gunvor funds.

Arkady Rotenberg and Boris Rotenberg (brothers) have provided support to Putin’s projects by receiving and executing high-priced contracts for the Sochi Olympic Games and state-controlled oil and gas firm OAO Gazprom (MCX:GAZP). They made billions of dollars in contracts for Gazprom. Both brothers were able to make most of their fortune during the years of Putin’s power. The brothers received approximately $7 billion in contracts for the Sochi Olympic Games and their personal wealth increased by $2.5 billion in the last two years.

Yuri Kovalchuk is the largest shareholder of Bank Rossiya and is also the personal banker for senior Russian Federation officials including Putin. Kovalchuk is a close adviser to the president and has been referred to as one of his “cashiers.” Bank Rossiya is the personal bank for senior officials of the Russian Federation. The shareholders include members of Putin’s inner circle associated with the Ozero Dacha Cooperative, a housing community in which they live. Bank Rossiya is ranked as the 17^th largest bank in Russia with assets of approximately $10 billion. It maintains numerous communications and shares relationships with banks in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. The bank deals mainly with the energy sector.

Victor Ivanov has been director of the Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) since 2008. Later that year he was appointed a member of the Security Council. Ivanov served in other positions before, including as assistant to the president from 2004 to 2008. He was previously deputy chief of the administration from 2000 to 2004. Ivanov joined the KGB in 1977 and eventually rose to become deputy director of the Federal Security Service, its successor after the USSR collapsed. Ivanov is a close ally of Putin and served alongside him as the chief of staff of the St. Petersburg mayor’s office in 1994, when Putin was first deputy head of the city’s administration.

Viktor Ozerov is the chairman of the Security and Defense Committee of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Dzhabarov is the first deputy chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation.

Evgeni Bushmin is the deputy speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation. On March 1, 2014, Bushmin publicly supported the deployment of Russian forces in Ukraine.

Nikolai Ryzhkov is a senator in the Russian Upper House of Parliament (Federation Council). Ryzhkov publicly supported the deployment of Russian forces in Ukraine.

Sergei Zheleznyak is the deputy speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

Sergei Mironov is a member of the Council of the State Duma, a Member of the State Duma Committee on Housing Policy and Housing and Communal Services, and leader of the Fair Russia Faction in the Duma of the Russian Federation.

Aleksandr Totoonov is a member of the Committee on Culture, Science, and Information, Federation Council of the Russian Federation. On March 1, 2014, Totoonov publicly supported the deployment of Russian forces in Ukraine.

Oleg Panteleev is the first deputy chairman of the Committee on Parliamentary Issues. On March 1, 2014, Panteleev publicly supported the deployment of Russian forces in Ukraine.

Sergey Naryshkin has been the chairman of the State Duma (lower house) of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation since December 2011. Additionally, he is a member of the National Security Council of the Russian Federation and of the United Russia party.

Igor Sergun is the head of Russia’s military intelligence service (GRU) and is deputy chief of the General Staff.

Sergei Ivanov is the chief of staff of the Presidential Executive Office.

Alexei Gromov is Ivanov's first deputy chief of staff.