Trump administration officials unveiled a new round of sanctions on Thursday against 24 Russian entities and individuals in response to offenses that include interference in the 2016 election.
Some of the targets of the sanctions include the “malicious cyber actors” named in special counsel Robert Mueller’s indictment of 13 Russians last month, a senior administration official told reporters on Thursday. The sanctions were also designed to respond to NotPetya, a massive cyberattack Russia launched in Ukraine last year, as well as a recent attempt by the Russians to infiltrate the U.S. energy grid, the official said.
“This is just one of a series of actions we’re taking” against Russia, the official said. “There will be more to come.”
Another senior administration official said the new moves would bring “renewed attention to Russian influence operations against the United States.”
The sanctions responding to NotPetya were designed to “to make clear the penalty” associated with any country’s use of malware that inflicts the kind of damage the cyberattack wrought in Ukraine last summer, a senior administration official said.
President Trump has weathered criticism for his response to Russia’s meddling in the election, as critics have accused him of moving too slowly to punish Moscow for its activity. The White House, however, has pointed to a range of measures the administration has taken to counter Russia’s conduct in Ukraine, among other offenses.
“We are very focused on dealing with Russian aggression,” a senior administration official said Thursday.
