EU has blacklisted Russian commanders in Butka and Marioupol

On its newest list of sanctions is Alina Kabayeva, who is said to be closely linked “with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though he denied that they have an emotional relationship.

Former Olympic director Alina Kabayeva in May was also the target of Great Britain sanctions.

The EU has published the names of 65 other people, including the latest package of sanctions due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This package of sanctions includes banning oil from the sea and removing the largest Russian lender, Sberbank, from the international payment system SWIFT.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not respond to the request to comment on the EU blacklist. There has also been no public comment from those targeted by sanctions.

Among the 65 mentioned was Azatbek Ombekov, for whom the EU declared he led Russian troops when they “committed suicide, raped and tortured civilians in Butka”.

General Mikhail Mizintsev, of whom the EU said it supervised the siege and bombing of Marioupolis, in which thousands were killed. Russian attacks on the port city of Azov hit the maternity and theatre, killing hundreds of children, the EU said, calling it the Mizintsev “casap of Mariupoli”.

Recent sanctions also hit Arkdy Volozin, who left the executive director's position in Yandex, a Russian internet giant in which state banks, including Sberbank, have shares, the EU said.

The bloc said Yandex promotes state narrations and reduces the visibility of content that is critical of the Kremlin, as well as the war in Ukraine.

Yandex shares dropped by up to 10 percent after the EU announcement, though they later recovered, with a loss of 6 percent that day.