U.S. plans to impose new sanctions on Russia this week

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States plans to slap new sanctions on Russia this week that the White House says will target people and companies inside President Vladimir Putin's "inner circle."

Washington also plans to impose new restrictions on high-tech exports to Russia's defence industry in a move aimed at punishing Moscow for not living up to an agreement to defuse the situation in eastern Ukraine, where armed pro-Russian separatists seized about a dozen government buildings.