WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday imposed a raft of new sanctions on Russia to punish it for alleged interference in the US election, cyber-hacking, bullying Ukraine and other “malign” acts.
The new measures sanction 32 entities and individuals, including government and intelligence officials, and six Russian companies that provide support to the Russian government’s hacking operations. The US also expelled 10 Russian diplomats working in Washington, including some intelligence officers.
Among the actions, the Biden administration also barred U.S. financial institutions from participating in the primary market for new debt issued by the Russian central bank, Finance Ministry and sovereign wealth fund. Those limits would take effect starting June 14.
President Joe Biden issued an executive order authorising the US government to sanction any sector of the Russian economy and used it to restrict Russia’s ability to issue sovereign debt to punish Moscow for interfering in the 2020 US election.
In concert with the European Union, Britain, Australia and Canada, the Treasury also sanctioned eight individuals associated with Russia’s ongoing occupation and repression in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman said Moscow would respond to the sanctions in the near future. Russia denies meddling in US elections and orchestrating a cyber hack that used U.S. tech company SolarWinds Corp SWI.N to penetrate US government networks.
