The Obama Administration, in response to the hacks of American political institutions during the election season, imposed sanctions on Russian intelligence service and officials. The sanction covers nine individuals and organizations in Russia. It will also prevent four officials from Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU, from traveling to the United States or keeping assets here.
According to New York Times report, the sanctions might not be having a significant impact as GRU officials does not travel to United States very often. Under the imposed sanctions, 35 Russian intelligence operatives will also be forced to leave United States.
Three companies- Special Technologies Center, Zor Security, and the last one called “Autonomous Non-commercial Organization Professional Association of Designers of Data Processing Systems”- were also included in the announcement of the sanctions as they have provided training to the hackers.
“I have sanctioned nine entities and individuals: the GRU and the FSB, two Russian intelligence services; four individual officers of the GRU; and three companies that provided material support to the GRU’s cyber operations. In addition, the Secretary of the Treasury is designating two Russian individuals for using cyber-enabled means to cause misappropriation of funds and personal identifying information. The State Department is also shutting down two Russian compounds, in Maryland and New York, used by Russian personnel for intelligence-related purposes, and is declaring ‘persona non grata’ 35 Russian intelligence operatives,” stated President Obama.
“These actions are not the sum total of our response to Russia’s aggressive activities. We will continue to take a variety of actions at a time and place of our choosing, some of which will not be publicized,” added Obama.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security have issued a brief info on the hacks of the DNC and also handed over a list of IPs involved in the cyber attacks.
It’s still unclear that the imposed sanctions will remain applied under the President-elect Donald Trump administration or not as he will have the power to alter or completely remove the sanctions after taking over the President’s office. Trump told reporters that he didn’t believe the sanctions are necessary.
“I think we ought to get on with our lives. I think that computers have complicated lives very greatly. The whole age of computer has made it where nobody knows exactly what is going on. We have speed, we have a lot of other things, but I’m not sure we have the kind, the security we need,” said Trump.
(Source: TechCrunch)
