US Sanctions Russia In Retaliation For Cyber Attacks

President Biden has imposed new economic sanctions on Russia in response to Moscow's election meddling and a major Kremlin-linked computer breach that penetrated numerous US government networks. 

The measures, which target dozens of Russian entities and officials, aim to deter "Russia's harmful foreign activities", the White House said. The statement says Russian intelligence was behind the massive "SolarWinds" hack, and accuses Moscow of interference in the 2020 election. Biden has sought to reshape Washington’s relationship with Moscow recently saying he remains dedicated to future cooperation, hours after his administration announced sanctions on Russian companies and individuals in retaliation for meddling in US politics and hacking its computer networks. 

The sanctions announced are detailed in an executive order signed by President Joe Biden. They come at a tense time for relations between the two countries. Recently the US target Russia's top spy and six others, are being co-ordinated with similar moves by the European Union over the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny. Russia says it was not involved.

In a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin Biden said he would defend US national interests "firmly", while proposing a meeting with Mr Putin to find areas where the two countries could work together. Biden has described his Russia sanctions as "proportionate". 

"I was clear with President Putin that we could have gone further, but I chose not to do so," Mr Biden told reporters. "The United States is not looking to kick off a cycle of escalation and conflict with Russia.... My bottom line is this,” Biden said at the White House. “When there’s an interest in the United States to work with Russia, we should and we will. When Russia seeks to violate the interests of the United States, we will respond.”

US specifically blames Russia's foreign intelligence service, the SVR, for the SolarWinds attack, which gave cyber criminals access to 18,000 government and private computer networks.

The latest sanctions target 32 entities and officials accused of trying to influence the 2020 US presidential election "and other acts of disinformation". "The UK and US are calling out Russia's malicious behaviour, to enable our international partners and businesses at home to better defend and prepare themselves against this kind of action," said UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab.  

US State Dept:      NPR:          LA Times:    ZDNet:       BBC: 

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