The United States has announced more than 500 new sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and the death in custody of the opposition figure Alexei Navalny.

The sanctions will target individuals connected to Navalny’s imprisonment and Russia’s war machine, President Joe Biden said.

Export restrictions will be imposed on nearly 100 firms or individuals.

It is unclear what impact the sanctions will have on Russia’s economy.

In a statement, President Biden said the sanctions “will ensure” Russian President Vladimir Putin “pays an even steeper price for his aggression abroad and repression at home”.

The sanctions mark a week since Navalny died in an Arctic Circle jail. Mr Biden has said there can be “no doubt” the Russian president was to blame.

The EU has also announced sanctions on nearly 200 entities and individuals accused of helping Russia procure weapons, or of involvement in kidnapping Ukrainian children, something Moscow denies.

In response, Russia’s foreign ministry said it had significantly expanded the list of EU officials and politicians banned from entering Russia.

Source:bbc.com