US imposes new sanctions against Russians

The US has revealed it will impose fresh sanctions on five Russian companies and three Russian individuals, in response to their alleged role in cyber attacks against the United States.

US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the sanctions, saying they were to counter “malicious actors” working to “increase Russia’s offensive cyber-capabilities”.

Those being sanctioned are accused of assisting Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) with both cyber and underwater technologies to disrupt undersea communications cables.

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The BBC reports that those sanctioned will be prohibited from “any transactions involving the US financial system”, and that “American citizens and companies cannot do business with the Russian entities”.

Among the companies being sanctioned is Divetechnoservices, which has allegedly “procured underwater equipment and diving systems for the FSB including a submersible craft valued at $1.5 million”, the Washington Post says.

The individuals facing sanctions are Divetechnoservices owner Vladimir Kaganskiy, its general director, Aleksandr Tribun, and its program manager, Oleg Chirikov.