Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov probably confirmed the identities of Russian President Vladimir Putin's daughters after they had been sanctioned by the U.S. on Wednesday over the continued conflict in Ukraine.

Although Peskov did not deny or affirm that they're Putin's daughters, he referred to Katerina Tikhonova and Maria Vorontsova, whose names have been talked about within the U.S. sanctions package deal launched Wednesday, as "members of the family."

"After all we take into account these sanctions in themselves to be the extension of a fully rabid place on the imposition of restrictions," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov instructed reporters, based on Reuters. "In any case, the continued line on imposing restrictions towards members of the family speaks for itself."

"That is one thing that's obscure and clarify. Sadly, now we have to take care of such opponents," he added.

His feedback got here after america introduced Wednesday that it should sanction Putin's daughters to freeze any belongings that they're believed to have within the U.S. as technique of placing strain on Russia to finish the conflict in Ukraine.

An unidentified U.S. official instructedWashington Put up journalist John Hudson that "lots of Putin's belongings are hidden with members of the family and that is why we're focusing on them."

Tikhonova is a tech government who has accomplished work for the Russian authorities and the protection trade, per Reuters, citing particulars from the U.S. sanctions package deal.

In the meantime, Vorontsova leads federal-funded packages specializing in genetics analysis that's financially supported by the Kremlin and supervised by Putin.

The Russian president has at all times stored his household's identities personal and Russian officers have usually denied who Putin's daughters had been or what they do.

Professor Howard Stoffer from the College of New Haven mentioned that Putin is secretive about his daughters as a result of "he would not wish to be susceptible to anybody else doing one thing to him if so much is understood about his household," CNN reported on Thursday.

Putin has by no means talked about his daughters' names however confirmed throughout a TV look in 2017 that his daughters usually are not concerned in politics and that they work in science and training, based on Reuters.

The Russian chief mentioned on the time that the rationale he would not disclose any details about his household is that "they might be instantly recognized and never left in peace. It could harm the kids's growth."

Tikhonova, the youngest daughter, participated in an athletic dance on the World Rock'n'Roll Confederation whose vp for authorized affairs, Manfred Mohab, instructed Reuters in an interview in 2017 that he labored along with her and confirmed that she is Putin's daughter.

Kremlin May Have Confirmed Putin's daughters' identities
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov could have confirmed the identities of Russian President Vladimir Putin's daughters who've been sanctioned by the U.S. on Wednesday. Above, Putin stands in a corridor previous to a gathering along with his Belarus' counterpart on the Kremlin in Moscow on March 11.Photograph by MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV/SPUTNIK/AFP by way of Getty Pictures

Nevertheless after Reuters revealed the article, Mohab reached out to the information outlet to say: "I can not affirm that I do know the daughter of Mr. Putin. I've nothing to do with them."

Equally, deputy chairman of Russian lender Gazprombank, Andrey Akimov, instructed Reuters in 2015 that he met Tikhonova when she was younger and that she is Putin's daughter.

Nevertheless, Akimov additionally withdrew his feedback and mentioned that he was "stunned and bewildered" after the story ran, based on VICE.

Newsweek reached out to the Russian international affairs ministry and can replace the story as soon as a response is acquired.