Steve Cohen, co-chair of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), has described Lisin, Russia’s richest man, as "one of dictator Vladimir Putin's wallets."

Cohen, a US Congressman from Tennessee, has claimed in a letter to Blinken - seen by insidethegames - that Novolipetsk (NLMK), the company that Lisin is the chairman and majority shareholder of, has playing a key role in Russia's war against Ukraine.

"Lisin's NLMK is one of the main suppliers of steel for the Russian military-industrial complex, particularly Uralvagonzavod tank manufacturing plant," Cohen writes in the letter also addressed to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the European Union (EU), Josep Borrell.

"The products of Lisin's enterprises are used to conduct military operations on the territory of Ukraine and to kill Ukrainians."

An investigation by Czech Republic-based RFE/RL journalists last month claimed to have uncovered connections between Lisin and Russia's military industries.

According to a non-governmental organisation that monitors Russian state contracts, one of his companies did business with a state-run institute involved in the development of nuclear weapons.

Lisin's company denied the allegations.

Unlike many of Russia's rich and politically-connected industrialists, Lisin and his companies have not been sanctioned by the US, the EU, Britain, or even Ukraine.

So far, only Australia has issued economic sanctions against Lisin.

Cohen and Joe Wilson, another Congressman who is a member of the CSCE, also known as the Helsinki Commission, have now written to Blinken to try to get Lisin added to the list, along with Hollywood actor Steven Seagal.

Seagal, awarded Russian citizenship in 2016, has been an enthusiastic supporter of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, it has been claimed.

Others named on the list included pop star Philipp Kirkorov, the Governor of the occupied Zaporizhzhia region, Yevgeny Balitsky, and Russian politicians Andriy Turchak and Franz Klintsevich.

Politicians from Estonia, Ukraine, the European Parliament and Poland have also signed the letter.

"We urge you to impose sanctions… on individuals who have been involved in perpetuating Russia's genocidal war in Ukraine," the letter to Blinken and Borrell says.

Lisin was elected President of the ISSF in 2018 when he defeated only rival, Italy's Luciano Rossi, 148 votes to 144 to succeed Mexico's Olegario Vàzquez Raña, who had been President for 38 years.

insidethegames revealed exclusively last month that Rossi is standing against Lisin again at this year's ISSF Congress, due to be held Egyptian resort Sharm El-Sheikh on November 30.

Lisin, who, according to Forbes is worth $18.4 billion (£16.1 billion/€18.6 billion), has refused to step aside, unlike fellow oligarch Alisher Usmanov, who has temporarily stood down as President of the International Fencing Federation after he was sanctioned by the EU.

In June, National Federations from several countries, including Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Britain, Italy, Norway, Slovenia, Sweden and the US, sent a letter to the ISSF calling on Lisin to stand down.

But it was claimed that smaller countries who had received grants from a special $10 million (£8.7 million/€10.1 million) fund set up by Lisin using his own personal wealth following his election four years ago were blocking attempts to oust him.