US imposes sanctions on Russian nationals over election meddling

The United States Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on Russian nationals who allegedly attempted to influence the 2018 U.S. midterm elections.

The Treasury said there was no indication that foreign actors were able to compromise election infrastructure that would have prevented voting, changed vote counts, or disrupted the tallying of votes.

The sanctions targeted four entities, seven individuals, three aircraft, and a yacht that are all associated with the Internet Research Agency and its financier, Yevgeniy Prigozhin.

Yevgeniy Prigozhin was also designated previously and today's action increases pressure on him bu targeting his physical assets, including three aircraft and a yacht, as well as employees of the Internet Research Agency, the treasury said.

The Treasury Department accused Internet Research Agency of using fictitious personas on social media and disseminating false information in an effort to attempt to influence the 2018 U.S. midterm elections and of trying to undermine faith in U.S. democratic institutions.

It also imposed sanctions on six members of the Internet Research Agency accusing them of putting efforts in furthering the objectives of the organization.

Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said, "Treasury is targeting the private planes, yacht, and associated front companies of Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the Russian financier behind the Internet Research Agency and its attempts to subvert American democratic processes.

"Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of American democracy, and we will use our authorities against anyone seeking to undermine our processes and subversively influence voters.

"This Administration will work tirelessly to safeguard our electoral process, and will aggressively pursue any other foreign actor that attempts to interfere in the 2020 elections."

The United States has levied sanctions against Russia for allegedly meddling in US elections in 2016 and 2018. Moscow has repeatedly refuted such allegations as groundless domestic political stunts designed to fuel anti-Russian hysteria.