Trump imposes major sanctions on Russian oligarchs, officials, companies - NBC News

Trump imposes major sanctions on Russian oligarchs, officials, companies
The move marks one of the administration's most aggressive actions against Russia.
by Vivian Salama / Apr.06.2018 / 10:56 PM ET / Updated 11:03 PM ET

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration took one of its most aggressive actions against Russia on Friday, announcing sweeping sanctions on oligarchs, top officials and several businesses, including a bank and a state-owned weapons trading company.

Senior administration officials said that the sanctions are not aimed to punish Moscow for any particular event, but are instead a broader measure aimed at the "totality of the Russian government's ongoing and increasingly malign activities in the world."

The Treasury Department, in connection with the Department of State, targeted seven Russian oligarchs and 12 companies they own or control. It also issued sanctions on 17 senior government officials, along with a state-owned Russian weapons trading company and its subsidiary, a Russian bank.

As a result of the Trump administration's action, the Russian assets are blocked, and U.S. entities are blocked from dealing with them.

"The Russian government operates for the disproportionate benefit of oligarchs and government elites," Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in a statement.

Mnuchin cited a number of Russian activities around the world as support for Friday's U.S. action, including Moscow's ongoing occupation of Crimea and violence in eastern Ukraine, support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's attacks against Syrian civilians, Russia's "ongoing cyber activities" and efforts to "interfere in the democratic processes of the United States and its allies."

"Russian oligarchs and elites who profit from this corrupt system will no longer be insulated from the consequences of their government's destabilizing activities," Mnuchin said.

To date, the Trump administration has issued Russia-related sanctions against 136 individuals and entities.

A senior administration official who briefed reporters on the sanctions said that they had been carefully coordinated with American allies, particularly in Europe.

Tensions between the U.S. and Russia have soared in recent days after the United States and the European Union announced the expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal on British soil, allegedly orchestrated by the Kremlin.

The U.S. expelled 60 Russian diplomats, identified by officials as intelligence officers, and closed Russia's Seattle consulate. In response, Russia expelled 60 American diplomats and closed the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg.

The senior administration official, who requested anonymity, said Friday's action is not a direct response to the expulsion of U.S. diplomats or the attack in the United Kingdom.