U.S. adds to Russia sanctions

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration added to its growing list of sanctions against Russia on Tuesday as U.S. lawmakers urged tighter economic restrictions on Moscow and Britain’s top diplomat accused Russia’s leader of pursuing policies that are making the world more dangerous.

The Treasury Department announced blacklisting two companies and two individuals suspected of trying to circumvent U.S. sanctions imposed in June in response to cyberattacks; and against two Russian shipping companies suspected of transferring petroleum products to North Korean vessels in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

While President Donald Trump has sought closer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, his administration has intensified economic pressure on Moscow.

Senior officials from the State and Treasury departments told two Senate hearings Tuesday that since January 2017, 217 Russian business people, officials, and private and state-run companies, including 14 banks and 20 energy firms, have been sanctioned. In addition, the administration had expelled 60 Russian spies and closed Russia’s consulates in San Francisco and Seattle.

Marshall Billingslea, the Treasury Department’s top terrorist financing official, and the State Department’s top diplomat for Europe, Wess Mitchell, said Russia is feeling the impact, costing its economy tens of billions of dollars, with companies under sanctions losing a quarter of their operating revenue and having to shed employees.

Russia denies accusations of election meddling, but suspicions of interference deepened Tuesday when Microsoft said it had uncovered new Russian hacking efforts targeting U.S. political groups before November’s midterm elections.

Russian officials dismissed the company’s claims as unfounded.