The Obama administration today announced new sanctions against Russia in response to the country’s widely reported role in hacks meant to influence the US presidential election.
Imposes sanctions on GRU and officials from the agency
The sanctions include penalties imposed on five entities and four individuals. Included on that list are multiple officials from Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate, the country’s military intelligence unit tied to this year’s hack of the Democratic National Committee. Officials from the Directorate, known as the GRU, are also listed for sanctions. Russia’s Federal Security Service, another intelligence agency, has also been sanctioned.
Three companies, which the White House says “provided material support” to GRU operations, were included in the sanctions as well.
As part of today’s action, 35 Russian officials who “were acting in a manner inconsistent with their diplomatic status” in the US, according to the White House, will be ejected. Previous reporting this week also suggested the US will also take long-expected, unspecified covert action, likely using cyber techniques.