US slaps fresh sanctions on Russian spies for meddling in 2016 election, nerve agent use

TIL Desk/World/Washington/ The United States has slapped fresh sanctions on 12 Russian individuals and entities for their alleged interference in 2016 presidential election and the brazen use of a military-grade nerve agent in an assassination attempt inside America’s closest ally. They were involved in a wide range of malign activities, including attempts to interfere in the 2016 US elections, cyber-enabled attempts to undermine international organisations and the brazen use of a chemical weapon in an assassination attempt abroad, the State Department said.      

Several of these people were related to ‘Project Lakhta’, a broad Russian effort which includes the Internet Research Agency that has sought to interfere in political and electoral systems worldwide, the State Department said. As a result of this action, any person determined to knowingly engage in a significant transaction with any of these persons will be subject to the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) Section 231 sanctions, the State Department said.            

In addition, the Treasury Department designated several members of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and individuals and entities related to ‘Project Lakhta’, including the 12 persons added to the List of Specified Persons. Treasury also designated Victor Boyarkin for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of Oleg Deripaska. According to the State Department, the sanctions and listings undertaken are one part of an aggressive stand against the irresponsible acts directed by the Government of the Russian Federation. “Russian intelligence services’ cyber operations continue to seek to undermine democratic elections and delegitimise international organisations,” it alleged.