- Title: Obama orders Russia expulsions, sanctions for interference in 2016 election
- Date: 29th December 2016
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (NOVEMBER 9, 2016) (REUTERS) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AT KREMLIN FOLLOWING THE ELECTION OF DONALD TRUMP AS U.S. PRESIDENT WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MARCH 23, 2015) (REUTERS) FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON, WHO LATER BECAME THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT, SPEAKS AT THE CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS
- Embargoed: 13th January 2017 20:15
- Keywords: Putin Obama Clinton Trump cyber attack Russia computer
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C. & PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII & PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES; HANGZHOU, CHINA
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C. & PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII & PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES; HANGZHOU, CHINA
- Country: USA
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0045EXT93B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: President Barack Obama on Thursday (December 29) ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and sanctioned Russian intelligence officials who Washington believes were involved in hacking U.S. political groups in the 2016 presidential election.
The measures, taken during the last days of Obama's presidency, mark a new low in U.S.-Russian relations which have deteriorated over serious differences on Ukraine and Syria.
Obama is seeking to deter Russia and other foreign governments from leveraging cyber attacks in the future to meddle in U.S. politics, former officials and cyber security experts said.
Obama has been under growing pressure from within his own administration and lawmakers of both political parties to respond more forcefully to the cyber attacks, which included leaked emails of Democratic Party operatives that became part of the media coverage in the campaign for the Nov. 8 presidential election.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency and Office of Director of National Intelligence agree that Russia was behind hacks into Democratic Party organizations and operatives ahead of the Nov. 8 presidential election. There is also agreement, according to U.S. officials, that Russia sought to intervene in the election to help Trump, a Republican, defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.
The Russian foreign ministry said on Thursday the sanctions were counter-productive and would harm the restoration of bilateral ties. Moscow denies the hacking allegation.
President-elect Donald Trump could reverse President Barack Obama's executive order and allow Russian intelligence officials back into the United States once he takes office, but that would be inadvisable, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday.
Russia has repeatedly denied hacking accusations. Trump has dismissed the assessments of the U.S. intelligence community. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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