US HITS RUSSIAN FIRMS WITH SANCTIONS, CITING CYBERATTACKS

The Trump administration slapped sanctions on several Russian companies and businessmen for engaging in cyberattacks and assisting Russia’s military and intelligence services with other malicious activities.

The Treasury Department said it“The United States is engaged in an ongoing effort to counter malicious actors working at the behest of the Russian Federation and its military and intelligence units to increase Russia’s offensive cyber capabilities,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. He said the sanctions targeted entities that have “directly contributed to improving Russia’s cyber and underwater capabilities” that jeopardize “the safety and security of the United States and our allies.”