By: Brett Rowland | The Center Square
The White House plans to introduce "a major package" of sanctions against Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin after the arctic prison death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
"Whatever story the Russian government decides to tell the world, it’s clear that President Putin and his government are responsible for Mr. Navalny's death," National Security Spokesman John Kirby said. "In response, at President Biden's direction, we will be announcing a major sanctions package on Friday of this week."
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the sanctions "will be a substantial package covering a range of different elements of the Russian defense industrial base, and sources of revenue for the Russian economy that power Russia's war machine, that power Russia's aggression, and that power Russia’s repression."
Biden said Tuesday that "we’ll have a major package announced on Friday."
The U.S. previously imposed sanctions on Russia after Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022. In December, has also charged Russians with war crimes.
Details of what exactly will be in the new package of sanctions will be released Friday.
Navalny, an outspoken critic of Putin, died in prison on Friday. Kirby said the U.S. has not determined how Navalny died, but left no doubt about who was responsible.
"Regardless of the scientific answer, Putin's responsible for it," Kirby said.
The U.S. has already gone after a number of Russians and their assets. In October 2023, the Justice Department filed a lawsuit to keep the $300 million superyacht it seized from a Russian oligarch. The U.S., with help from Fijian law enforcement, seized the 348-foot luxury vessel owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov in 2022. The vessel, Amadea, is under the control of the U.S. government in San Diego.
