Thursday, December 29, 2016

US Slaps Sanctions on Russia Over Alleged Cyberattacks
December 29, 22:58 UTC+3

President Barack Obama said the sanctions came in response to "the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of U.S. officials" and "cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election"

WASHINGTON, December 29. /TASS/. Washington imposed sanctions on Russia for alleged cyberattacks on the US electoral system, the US Department of the Treasury said Thursday.
US president Barack Obama said in a statement the measures were "a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm U.S. interests in violation of established international norms of behavior."

He said the sanctions came in response to "the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of U.S. officials" and "cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election."

"These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government," Obama said.

The sanctions targeted "the GRU and the FSB, two Russian intelligence services; four individual officers of the GRU; and three companies that provided material support to the GRU’s cyber operations," the US president said while on vacation in Hawaii.

The four individuals are GRU chief Igor Korobov and his deputies Vladimir Alexeyev, Igor Kostyukov and Sergei Gizunov.

In addition, the Secretary of the Treasury designated two Russian individuals for using cyber-enabled means to cause misappropriation of funds and personal identifying information. Their names are Evgeniy Bogachev and Aleksey Belan.

Obama also said the State Department is also shutting down two Russian compounds, in Maryland and New York, "used by Russian personnel for intelligence-related purposes," and is declaring "persona non grata 35 Russian intelligence operatives.".

More:
http://tass.com/world/923378


US declares 35 Russian diplomats persona non grata

December 29, 23:00 UTC+3

Washington said that it would also deny Russian personnel access to two recreational compounds in the United States owned by the Russian Government

WASHINGTON, December 29. /TASS/. Washington declared 35 Russian diplomats persona non grata, the US Department of State said in an official statement Thursday.

"The State Department today declared persona non grata 35 Russian officials operating in the United States who were acting in a manner inconsistent with their diplomatic or consular status," the statement reads.

The names and ranks of the expelled diplomats were not disclosed.

The move came "as part of a comprehensive response to Russia’s interference in the U.S. election and to a pattern of harassment of our diplomats overseas that has increased over the last four years, including a significant increase in the last 12 months," the Department of State said, adding that the alleged harassment included "arbitrary police stops, physical assault, and the broadcast on State TV of personal details about our personnel that put them at risk."

The Department of State also accused Moscow of impeded diplomatic operations by, among other things, the "closure of 28 American corners which hosted cultural programs and English-language teaching; blocking our efforts to begin the construction of a new, safer facility for our Consulate
General in St. Petersburg; and rejecting requests to improve perimeter security at the current, outdated facility in St. Petersburg.

"Today’s actions send a clear message that such behavior is unacceptable and will have consequences," the Department of State said.

Washington also informed the Russian government that it would deny Russian personnel access to two recreational compounds in the United States owned by the Russian Government.

The White House said the diplomats were given 72 hours to leave.

The Russian embassy in the US did not comment on the move.

More:
http://tass.com/politics/923377

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