The Trump administration announced Friday it will sanction seven Russian oligarchs and a dozen companies they own and control, its most aggressive effort yet to curb the activities of influential Russian business elites.
The sanctions were imposed under a law Congress overwhelmingly passed last year to punish Moscow for interfering in the 2016 presidential election and other destabilizing activities, including its military intervention in Ukraine and involvement in the Syrian civil war.
“This [is a] response to Russia’s continued attacks to subvert Western democracies,” a senior administration official said.