THE US will impose sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin, the White House announced Friday.

The Russian leader will become the highest-profile target in the effort to impose costs on the Russian economy and Putin’s inner circle in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Additional Russian officials are likely to be included, one source familiar with the matter said.

The European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) also announced they would introduce sanctions targeting Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the US move to sanction Putin and Lavrov, which was first reported by CNN, was made in the last 24 hours in coordination with European allies.

“It’s been on the table for some time, but through coordination and discussion with our European partners over the last day or so,” Psaki said when asked for details on the timing of the decision.

The decision to target Putin directly across Western allies marks the most personal escalation of a sweeping effort to respond to Russia’s actions through economic penalties. While it’s unclear the extent of the direct effect – officials have long said Putin’s finances are opaque and difficult to track – the symbolism of targeting the Russian leader is clear.

Psaki also said she “believes” a travel ban of some kind will be included in the US sanctions against the Russian President, but she did not have specific details yet.

“There are very limited examples of this being done, as you all know, but that is a standard part,” she said.

US President Joe Biden had said sanctioning Putin had been an option under consideration, telling CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Thursday it was “on the table.”

The Biden administration on Thursday announced sweeping sanctions targeting Russia, enacting penalties across industries, including asset freezes for the largest banks, debt and equity restrictions on critical mining, transportation/logistics firms, and a large-scale effort to shut down access to critical technology for key Russian military and industrial sectors.

As part of its first two rounds of sanctions, the US targeted key members of Putin’s inner circle, both in government and in business. But in what would mark a new strategy, they also expanded sanctions to the adult children of several of the officials.

It was a calculated effort to cut off what officials say has been a pathway utilized by Russian officials to shield their wealth by transferring it to family members.

The EU and UK have also targeted a series of Russian officials.

Earlier this week, the US also allowed sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany to go forward after Germany said it would not certify the pipeline following the Russian invasion.

Those sanctions were issued in coordination with European countries to punish Moscow for its attack on Ukraine.

But the White House and EU faced calls from Ukrainian leaders – as well as lawmakers in Congress – to take additional steps, including shutting Russia out from the SWIFT financial messaging system used for international transactions, as well as targeting Putin directly.

European counties, which rely on SWIFT to buy Russian gas and energy, were not yet ready to take that step, however, which Biden alluded to at his Thursday news conference.

“We’ve never taken that off the table, of course, and I’m certainly not taking it off the table today,” Psaki said of SWIFT. “So certainly there’ll be ongoing discussions about that.”

The plans from the US, UK, and European Union to collectively sanction Putin personally came after a call with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) leaders on Friday. NATO leaders also announced the alliance was activating the NATO Response Force for the first time as a defensive measure in response to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The EU announced Friday it was adding Putin and Lavrov in its sanctions list. And UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday he will introduce new sanctions against Putin and Lavrov “imminently” on top of sanctions the British government announced on Thursday.

A readout of Johnson’s call with NATO leaders published on the UK government’s website said that Johnson also urged NATO countries “to take immediate action against SWIFT to inflict maximum pain on President Putin and his regime.”

Ukraine shoots down Russian fighter jets, aircraft

In Kyiv, Ukraine, government forces has shot down two Russian fighter jets, an IL-76 aircraft, and a helicopter, Ukrainian officials said Saturday.

The head of the Vinnytsia Regional State Administration, Serhiy Borzov, said on social media that Ukraine shot down a Russian SU-25 fighter jet near Kalynivka in the Vinnytsia region.

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces also said on Facebook that Ukrainian air defense systems shot down an IL-76 aircraft carrying paratroopers from the Russian airborne troops in the Vasylkiv region.

Located near Kyiv, Vasylkiv is 35 kilometers (22 miles) from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

Ukrainian Air Force likewise said that the country’s S-300 air defense missile system shot down a Russian helicopter and a SU-25 fighter jet in Donbas.

Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine entered its third day Saturday, with the latest reports indicating that Russian troops were heading toward the capital, Kyiv, from several directions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the military intervention Thursday, days after recognizing two separatist-held enclaves in eastern Ukraine.

He claimed that Moscow had no plan to occupy the neighboring country, but wanted to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of trying to install a puppet government and said Ukrainians will defend their country against Russian aggression.

UK closes airspace to Russian planes

In London, the British government closed its airspace to all Russian aircraft late Friday.

The closure to all Russian jets follows a similar ban by Moscow against UK aircraft and is intended to increase pressure on the Russian government following its invasion of Ukraine.

“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s actions are unlawful and anyone benefiting from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine is not welcome here,” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement.

“I’ve strengthened our ban in the UK so that no Russian private jet can fly in UK airspace, or touchdown – effective immediately,” he added.

On Friday, the government implemented further sanctions on the Kremlin targeting more banks, businesses, and politicians, sanctions they argue are the toughest yet.

There are growing calls from the international community to ban Russia from the SWIFT (The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) banking system, a move that would have a major effect on the Russian economy.

Russian forces early Friday were reported to have reached the city limits of Kyiv with Mayor Vitali Klitschko saying the city had gone into defense mode to resist a Russian onslaught that has already seen hundreds dead in multiple cities across the country.

On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an all-out offensive against its western neighbor on four fronts.

The operation entered a third day Saturday and despite the UK government claims that Russia has failed to reach its first objective, Moscow appears intent on capturing Kyiv. CNN/PNA