Russia Sanctions Target Tobacco Tycoon

Tobacco tycoon Igor Kesaev is among the targets of the latest tranche of EU and U.K. sanctions against individuals believed to be supporting the Russian-backed breakaway regions of Luhansk and Donetsk in Ukraine, according to The Herald of Scotland.

Kesaev reportedly controls 70 percent of the Russian cigarette market and is Russia’s 35th richest person.

Other individuals on the sanctions list include the wife of Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, Maria Lavrova; Alexander Ananchenko and Sergey Kozlov, self-styled Prime Minister and Chair of Government of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.

Relatives of Russian oligarchs have been targeted as well, including Pavel Ezubov, cousin of Oleg Deripaska, and Nigina Zairova, Executive Assistant to Mikhail Fridman.