US blacklists 9 Russian entities, officials, expels 35 diplomats

WASHINGTON, Dec 30 (PRIME) -- Washington has slapped sanctions against nine Russian entities and officials over alleged cyberattacks during the U.S. presidential elections and has declared 35 Russian diplomats non grata, ordering their expulsion until Sunday noon, according to state documents released on Thursday afternoon.

U.S. President Barack Obama said, “I have issued an executive order that provides additional authority for responding to certain cyber activity that seeks to interfere with or undermine our election processes and institutions, or those of our allies or partners.”

Obama said that the black list over the cyberattacks comprises Russia’s Chief Intelligence Directorate and the Federal Security Service, four officials of the services and three companies which provided support to the cyber-operations by Russian intelligence.

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia categorically disagrees with the U.S. accusations, “We categorically disagree with any ungrounded statements, accusations which were addressed to Russia.”

Peskov promised a “due response”, adding that the fact that the administration of Obama will cease to execute its powers in three weeks will be taken into consideration.

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