( CNN ) -- The list of Russians targeted by Western sanctions is expanding . The EU has added a further 12 names to its original 21-strong lists , while the U.S. focused its sanctions on some of the key people from President Vladimir Putin 's inner circle . Here is a selection of some of the most interesting names from the lists : . Vladislav Surkov . Surkov is a close aide and adviser to Putin . He is often described as the `` Gray Cardinal '' of the Kremlin , one of the masterminds behind the current Russian political system . He served as the deputy chief of staff of Putin 's presidential office and as Putin 's deputy when Putin held the position of prime minister . Surkov resigned from that position last year . Valentina Matviyenko , Speaker of the Federation Council . Effectively number three on Russia 's power list , and one of the highest-ranking women in Russian politics . Matviyenko is a firm supporter of Putin and rose to power as the governor of St. Petersburg , Putin 's home town . She is credited with bringing major investors into St. Petersburg and transforming the city into an international hub . Several global companies , including General Motors and Nissan invested in the region while it was under her governorship . Arkady and Boris Rotenberg . The Rotenberg brothers have close links with Putin , having been his sparring partners in judo training for years . Boris is the president of Dynamo Moscow football club , while Arkady is an executive for Dynamo 's ice-hockey club . The U.S. says the two received about $ 7 billion in contracts for the Sochi Olympic Games . `` They have made billions of dollars in contracts for Gazprom and the Sochi Winter Olympics awarded to them by Putin , '' the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement announcing the sanctions . Gennady Timchenko , founder of energy trading company Gunvor . Magnate Gennady Timchenko 's activities in the energy sector have been directly linked to Putin , according to the U.S. Treasury . Gunvor is responsible for much of Russia 's oil export transactions . In a statement Thursday , Gunvor said Timchenko sold all his shares in the company on March 19 . It added that Putin `` has not and never has had any ownership '' interest in Gunvor . The U.S. said Putin has investments in Gunvor , and may have access to Gunvor funds . Dmitry Kiselev , news anchor . One of the most influential pro-Kremlin journalists in Russia . Known for his highly controversial views . Advocating Russia 's anti-gay laws in 2013 , he said : `` I believe it is not enough to impose fines on gays for engaging in the propaganda of homosexuality among adolescents . We need to ban them from donating blood and sperm , and if they die in car accidents , we need to bury their hearts in the ground or burn them as they 're unsuitable for the aiding of anyone 's life . '' Sergei Ivanov , Chief of staff of the presidential executive office . Ivanov has been Putin 's colleague for decades , since their years of service in the Soviet KGB in St. Petersburg . They continued working together in the Federal Security Office in the 1990s and later in politics . Ivanov served as Putin 's first deputy prime minister from 2001 to 2007 and was seen as one of Putin 's potential successors in 2008 . Vladimir Yakunin , Russian railway chairman . Yakunin is another St Petersburg figure . The Russian Railway chief was in charge of some of the biggest infrastructure projects of the Sochi Winter Olympics . Yakunin was also involved in a holiday housing community in the countryside outside St Petersburg . Set up in the 90s , media has speculated that Putin was also involved in the housing cooperative , together with Ivanov and Kovalchuk . Yuri Kovalchuk , Bank Rossiya 's largest shareholder . The U.S. Treasury Department described Kovalchuk as `` the personal banker '' to Putin and other senior Russian officials . Bank Rossiya is Russia 's 17th biggest bank , with $ 10 billion in assets , according to a senior U.S. administration official . It has substantial interests in oil and gas . Elena Mizulina ( also known as Yelena Mizulina ) , a State Duma Deputy . Mizulina was one of the parliamentarians behind Russia 's anti-gay legislation and was also a strong proponent of the anti-Magnitsky law , which banned adoptions of Russian orphans by American families . Read more : Would World Cup boycott hit harder ? Read more : U.S. sanctions on Russia begin to bite . Document : Full U.S. Treasury list . CNN 's Frederik Pleitgen , Nina Dos Santos , Nick Paton Walsh , Susannah Palk and CNNMoney 's Mark Thompson contributed to this report .
The list of Russians below includes some of Vladimir Putin 's closest associates . Highest - ranking politicians and influential businessmen are among those excluded . Informal aides and long - term allies to Putin are barred from traveling to EU and the U.S .