Sanctioning Alina Kabaeva would deal a heavy blow to Putin: Expert

Alina Kabaeva is rumored to be Russian President Vladimir Putin's girlfriend.
AP Picture/ITAR-TASS, Presidential Press Service

Sanctioning Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rumored girlfriend, Alina Kabaeva, would deal a heavy blow to the Russian chief and needs to be thought-about because the US continues to weigh responses to Russia’s ongoing struggle in Ukraine, Russian-born former US intelligence officer Rebekah Koffler mentioned on “Jesse Watters Primetime.”

US officers reportedly determined towards sanctioning the 38-year-old Russian gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Kabaeva citing issues that it was too drastic, the Wall Avenue Journal reported Sunday.

Koffler, a former US DIA intelligence officer targeted on Russia and the writer of “Putin’s Playbook: Russia’s Secret Plan to Defeat America,” informed Jesse Watters on Monday that the transfer would “actually harm” Putin, each from a private and monetary standpoint.

“Sadly, she just isn't able to stopping Putin from waging struggle on Ukraine. However, it'll actually harm,” Koffler mentioned. “It'll make her life depressing, and it'll positively, positively [cause] some injury to his holdings, his wealth that's stashed away in all types of tax havens together with unfold amongst his family members and household.”

Koffler mentioned the reasoning for US officers to not sanction Kabaeva – who's believed to be the mom of at the least three of Putin’s youngsters – makes “no sense.”

US officers determined towards sanctioning Kabaeva as a result of it might be too drastic, although it has potential to harm Putin.

Sergei Gubeyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Picture by way of AP

Russian-born former U.S. intelligence officer Rebekah Koffler mentioned it “is not sensible” for the US to not impose sanctions on Kabaeva.

Jason Davis/Getty Photos

“The Treasury and the State Division have put collectively a Draconian sanctions package deal, however then the Biden Administration has backed out on the final minute, and this is totally ridiculous as a result of they've already finished a lot rhetoric that it's perceived by the Russians as a complete struggle on Russia, imagine it or not,” Koffler mentioned. Putin is portraying himself as the sufferer, so not sanctioning [Kabaeva] is not sensible.”

Watters mentioned freezing Kabeva’s financial institution accounts, whereas “unorthodox,” might be the correct plan of action to hit Putin near dwelling.

“She will be able to’t get her beef Wellington, she will’t get her massages, she will’t go snowboarding, she will’t even replenish her little automotive with petrol as they name it over there,” the “Jesse Watters Primetime” host mentioned. “That's the transfer, I feel that’s a giant transfer we must always critically take into account and deploy as a result of proper now, it's simply destruction in that nation. We now have to strive one thing unorthodox.”