Calls mount for U.S. to sanction Vladimir Putin's rumored girlfriend Alina Kabaeva, Russia's "Secret First Lady"
CBSAPR 2022
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Sanctioning Kabaeva would deal a heavy blow to Putin and the Kremlin. She may not be able to prevent Putin from waging war, but the move would impact the pair from both a personal and financial standpoint, and apply important pressure that might just bring him to the negotiating table.
Establishment-critical narrative
At best, the focus on sanctioning and seizing assets from Putin's inner circle is a distraction from formulating a more realistic strategy to defeat Russia and restore Ukraine. At worst, it's evidence of clear hypocrisy, given the US wasn't sanctioned for invading Iraq for equally unjustified reasons, or Israel for invading and annexing Arab lands. Either way, it doesn't help Ukraine.