New US sanctions target more in Putin’s power structure

WASHINGTON (AP) — New U.S. sanctions target more individuals in Russian President Vladimir Putin's power structure.

Tuesday's announcement from the Treasury Department include tougher penalties against the leader of Kremlin-allied Belarus and his family.

Other new sanctions target a judge and investigator in Russia’s prosecution of two outspoken critics of alleged corruption and rights abuses.

Some of Tuesday’s sanctions were brought under the Magnitsky Act.

That's a 2012 act of Congress that authorizes sanctions against those engaged in human rights abuses.

The sanctions show the U.S. going after more individual officials, which follow some of the toughest sanctions of modern times on Russian institutions over Putin’s nearly 3-week-old invasion of Ukraine.