On August 24, US President Joe Biden published a statement on the White House website on the occasion of Ukraine's Independence Day, in which he announced new sanctions against Russians involved in war crimes in Ukraine. This time, the sanctions list includes Aimani Kadyrova, the mother of the head of Chechnya, the head of the Akhmat Kadyrov Charitable Foundation, Chechen Prime Minister Muslim Khuchiev, the commander of the Akhmat police regiment Zamid Chalayev, Chechen ombudsman Mansur Soltayev, the Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Rostov Region Irina Cherkasova, and some other individuals. In addition, the Artek children's camp in Crimea was added to the "black list" of organizations with which American citizens and residents are prohibited from doing business.
"We are working with countries around the world to hold Russian forces accountable for the war crimes and other atrocities they have committed in Ukraine. This includes the forced removal of thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia. These children have been stolen from their parents and kept separate from their families. This is unconscionable. And today, we are announcing new sanctions to hold accountable those involved in these forced removals and deportations and to demand that Ukrainian children be returned to their families,” Joe Biden said.
Sanctions against Ramzan Kadyrov and his family were adopted in various countries in several stages long before the military actions in Ukraine. In December 2017, the head of Chechnya was included in the so-called “Magnitsky list” for extrajudicial killings, torture and other human rights violations. In 2020, this list also included his wife Medni and daughters Aishat and Khadizhat, as well as the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation, the Akhmat football club and the Akhmat fight club. In September 2022, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Ramzan Kadyrov, his three wives, three daughters, and cousin Turpal-Ali Ibragimov, who was then the Minister of Property and Land Relations of Chechnya. Sanctions against Kadyrov, his immediate family, and high-ranking Chechen officials were also imposed by Ukraine, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, and Canada.