New Russia sanctions symbolic
US tries to send message on election interference
WASHINGTON – The sanctions imposed by the Trump administration Thursday on Russia include its first use of a new law intended to punish the country for its interference in the 2016 presidential election campaign.
But a closer look at the list of five entities and 19 individuals added to the list shows that the move is largely symbolic: About a third had already been sanctioned under the Obama and Trump administrations, and the individual-level sanctions are unlikely to have an effect on the Russian economy.
“Symbolism is important when it comes to sanctions,” said Andrew Keller, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for sanctions in the Obama administration. That’s particularly true here, he said, because “it’s really the first statement of the Trump administration, from a sanctions standpoint, with regard to Russia’s election meddling.”
“That said, as a practical matter, these sanctions may not be particularly impactful,” he said.
Among the five entities sanctioned Thursday by the Treasury Department is the Internet Research Agency, which was indicted last month as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible Trump campaign collusion with Russian efforts. Officials say it’s a propaganda outfit that used fake identities to pose as Americans on social media, in order to sow divisiveness during the campaign. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the new round of sanctions shows that the Trump administration is “confronting and countering malign Russian cyber activity, including their attempted interference in U.S. elections, destructive cyberattacks, and intrusions targeting critical infrastructure.”
It’s the first round of sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act – a bill President Donald Trump signed only reluctantly last year in the face of a veto-proof congressional majority.