US expected to sanction Russia, expel officials in response to election meddling
Apr 15, 2021
Washington [US], April 15 : US President Joe Biden's administration is expected to announce sanctions targeting Russia in response to Moscow's alleged meddling in the Presidential elections and SolarWinds cyber intrusion.
CNN quoting officials reported that the sanctions will target intelligence and government officials and entities involved in the SolarWinds cyber intrusion and alleged meddling in the 2016 Presidential elections.
"One reason the rollout of these actions has taken longer than anticipated is because the White House was not satisfied with the options the State Department initially presented and wanted more expanded sanctions," a US official familiar with the plans told CNN.
The White House announced an intelligence review of Russia's "reckless and adversarial actions" in a wide array of areas during Biden's first week in office.
Another source familiar tells CNN that the administration is expected to take measures against Russia on Thursday and is coordinating with European allies.
The actions will be rolled out as an executive order from the US President as well as sanctions coordinated with the State Department and the Treasury Department, the officials said. State Department officials have called US allies and are preparing for potential Russian responses.
The Russian diplomats who are being expelled are based in Washington, DC, and New York, and they will have 30 days to leave the country, the US official familiar with the plans explained, according to CNN.
New financial restrictions, consisting of efforts to target Russian sovereign debt, will be put in place, which could hurt Russia's economy. It is unclear if these sanctions will be enough to change Russian behavior, the officials said.
