US announces sanctions on Russian lawmakers, defense companies

The Biden administration on Thursday announced sanctions on more than 300 Russian lawmakers and dozens of state-owned companies that are connected to the war effort in the invasion of Ukraine.

The announcement came as President Biden met with NATO allies and Group of Seven (G-7) leaders in Brussels to discuss how to respond to the invasion as it stretches into its second month.

"I’m announcing additional sanctions on over 400 Russian elites, lawmakers, and defense companies in response to Putin’s war of choice in Ukraine. They personally gain from the Kremlin’s policies, and they should share in the pain," Biden tweeted.

The sanctions target 328 members of the Duma, Russia's legislative body, as well as the Duma itself as an entity. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had raised sanctioning Duma members during his address to Congress last week.