The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on Russia for its alleged interference in the 2020 presidential election and its alleged role in the massive cyberattack of SolarWinds, as well as imposing punishments related to Russian actions in Ukraine and Afghanistan.
The government of President Joe Biden also announced the expulsion from the United States of ten members of the Russian diplomatic mission in Washington, including members of the intelligence services.
In addition, the White House formally accused the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of having “perpetrated” the massive cyberattack that allegedly began in 2019 and penetrated the systems of the US Government. and large companies through a program from the company SolarWinds.
So far, Washington had only talked about its suspicions that Moscow was behind this check, but this Thursday assured that the intelligence community is “completely sure” that it was the SVR.
“By compromising SolarWinds’ software supply chain, SVR was able to spy on or potentially alter more than 16,000 computer systems worldwide, ”the White House said.
In all, Washington on Thursday sanctioned 6 Russian companies for their cyberespionage activities, 32 Russian organizations and individuals for electoral interference; and 8 individuals and entities for the Russian occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.
These latest measures related to the “occupation and repression” of Crimea come at a time of strong tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and were taken in coordination with the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, according to the White House.
In addition, the US Treasury issued an order banning US financial institutions from participating in the main bond market issued from June 14 by the Russian central bank and other country institutions, in a attempt to curtail its sovereign debt sale.
The sanctions on Russia are in response to “actions taken by its government and its intelligence services against the sovereignty and interests of the United States,” the White House said in a statement.
Among them, he cited the alleged rewards that Russia offered in 2019 to Afghan militias for the deaths of American soldiers, revealed last year by The New York Times.
Biden concluded that all these actions by Russia represent a “national emergency” for the United States, a statement that activates powers to impose a wide range of sanctions against Moscow, now and in the future.
The White House has said it does not want to continue a “negative trajectory” with Russia despite the sanctions, so Biden has proposed to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that they soon hold a bilateral summit in a third country.