Washington to impose sanctions against at least 6 Russian oligarchs

The United States is expected to impose additional sanctions against Russia on April 6, according to US officials, The Washington Post reported.

According to officials, the sanctions are economic and designed to target oligarchs with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The final number of Russians facing punitive action remains fluid, but is expected to include at least a half-dozen people under sanction powers given to the president by Congress, the officials said.

Officials spoke about the sanctions on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss pending actions. 

The United States is expected to target individuals on a list of influential Russian political and business leaders that the Treasury Department released in January, officials said.

The US could also impose sanctions based on powers granted by Congress to target anyone conducting significant business with Russian intelligence and defense sectors. 

The newspaper writes that in Congress, the Trump administration continues to face pressure from Russia hawks in both parties to "take aggressive action against Putin." In an interview, Sen. Lindsey Graham said that the US needed to "help countries that rely on Russia for oil and gas find new opportunities."