Trump administration announces new sanctions on Russians charged in the Mueller investigation
- The Trump administration announced sweeping sanctions on the 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities charged in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation last month.
- The move marks the White House's most significant response yet to Russia's interference in the 2016 US election.
- It is also the first time the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) has been used since President Donald Trump signed it into law last August.
The US Treasury Department announced new sanctions Thursday on the 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities charged by special counsel Robert Mueller with conspiring to interfere in the 2016 US election.
The Internet Research Agency (IRA), a notorious Russian troll farm located in St. Petersburg which was primarily responsible for carrying out Russia's social-media influence operation during the election, was added to the list of sanctioned entities, as were 12 of the 13 Russian nationals charged.
The other, Russian businessman Yevgeniy Prigozhin, was already on the list, but was additionally designated as an individual linked to the IRA.
Prigozhin was accused in Mueller's indictment of using his companies, Concord Management and Consulting LLC and Concord Catering, to bankroll the IRA's work.
Two other individuals, Sergei Afanasyev and Grigoriy Viktorovich Molchanov, were added because of their ties to Russia's main intelligence directorate.
The 12 Russian nationals from the Mueller indictment added to the US's sanctions list are: Dzheykhun Nasimi Ogly Aslanov; Anna Vladislavovna Bogacheva, Maria Anatolyevna Bovda, Robert Sergeyevich Bovda, Mikhail Leonidovich Burchik, Mikhail Ivanovich Bystrov, Irina Viktorovna Kaverzina, Aleksandra Yuryevna, Vadim Vladimirovich Podkopaev, Sergey Pavlovich Polozov, Gleb Igorevich Vasilchenko, and Vladimir Venkov.
The Treasury also announced sanctions on Russia's federal security service (FSB) and individuals linked to Russian intelligence.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.