Taken together, the two strong statements of USA resolve added up to the most robust and explicit warning to Russian Federation ever made during the Trump administration and appeared to mark a policy turning point.
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President Donald Trump’s administration Thursday accused Russian Federation of a concerted effort to hack the US energy grid and other critical infrastructure.
Moscow is also retaliating against the United Kingdom amid a fallout over the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in England.
Shaheen, who represents New Hampshire and serves on the Foreign Relations Committee, has been an outspoken supporter of measures meant to counter Russia’s interference in USA elections.
They used their cyber tools “to target Russian journalists and politicians critical of the Russian government; Russian citizens and government officials; former officials from countries bordering Russia; and USA government officials, including cyber security, diplomatic, military and White House personnel”.
The U.S. slapped new sanctions on Russian Federation on Thursday for its alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election and continued efforts to hack American infrastructure.
Sixteen of the Russian individuals and entities sanctioned were indicted on 16 February as part of Mr Mueller’s criminal investigation. “They’re going to have to decide whether they want to be a good actor or a bad actor”.
Russia had no motive to target Skripal, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, adding that his country would respond by expelling British diplomats “soon”.
Those designated under the congressionally-mandated authorities include Russia’s internal and external intelligence agencies, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), and the Federal Security Service (FSB), respectively.
The alert did not name the nuclear and critical manufacturing targets that it said the hackers had targeted.
These new sanctions on Russian individuals and agencies accused of cyberattacks and interference in the 2016 election are a promising step. Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, the national security adviser, whom Mr. Trump reportedly may fire, condemned Russian Federation in a speech on Thursday for being “complicit in Assad’s atrocities” in Syria and conducting more than 100 bombing missions in Eastern Ghouta, as well as being “responsible” for the Skripal poisoning.
Russian Federation has repeatedly denied all allegations of meddling in the United States election, calling the accusations absurd.
Mueller has reportedly asked witnesses about discussions relating to a potential deal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.
Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment on the Times report about a subpoena, which was the first known time Mueller had demanded materials directly related to Trump’s businesses.
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Appearing on CNN’s New Day on Friday morning, the authors of a new on book detailing President Donald Trump’s relationship with Russian Federation throughout the years were asked what they made of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s bombshell subpoena on Thursday to the Trump Organization seeking documents about its past dealings inside Russian Federation.
