Vladimir Putin
Vladimir PutinReuters

The European Union on Monday added top Kremlin-linked oligarchs to its sanctions blacklist as part of its latest round of punishment over the Ukraine invasion.

The bloc targeted some of the key moneymen accused of backing Putin's regime in response to his ordering Russian forces into Ukraine, AFP reported.

Among the high-profile names were close Putin allies Igor Sechin, head of state oil giant Rosneft, and Nikolay Tokarev, boss of pipeline mammoth Transneft.

Three men ranked within Russia's 10 top richest by Forbes were also added, according to AFP. They are metals magnate Alexei Mordashov, tycoon Alisher Usmanov, and businessman and Putin friend Gennady Timchenko.

In addition there were also top bankers Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven.

Also added was Sergei Roldugin, a cellist and long-time Putin confidante accused of "'shuffling' at least $2 billion through banks and offshore companies as a part of Putin's hidden financial network."

"With these additional sanctions, we are targeting all who are having a significant economic role in supporting Putin's regime, and benefit financially from the system," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.

"These sanctions will expose the wealth of Putin's elite. Those who enable the invasion of Ukraine will pay a price for their action."

Last week, EU leaders agreed to impose new economic sanctions on Russia, freezing Russian assets in the bloc and halting its banks' access to European financial markets.

A day later, the EU announced a freeze on the assets of Putin himself, as well as on his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

World leaders also decided to cut off Russian financial institutions from using the SWIFT money transfer system.