U.S. imposes sanctions on 32 legal entities, persons from Russia, expels 10 Russian diplomats, Moscow to respond symmetrically
WASHINGTON/MOSCOW. April 15 (Interfax) - The United States has imposed restrictions on another 32 legal entities and persons from Russia, the White House press service said on Thursday.
"The Department of the Treasury sanctioned 32 entities and individuals carrying out Russian government-directed attempts to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election, and other acts of disinformation and interference," the statement said.
The United States will also expel ten employees of the Russian embassy in Washington, DC, in the context of additional restrictions, the White House said in a statement on Thursday.
"The United States is expelling ten personnel from the Russian diplomatic mission in Washington, DC. The personnel include representatives of Russian intelligence services," the statement said.
Russia will retaliate to the expulsion from the United States of employees of the Russian diplomatic mission, Russian State Duma Foreign Affairs Committee head Leonid Slutsky said.
"Washington's decision to expel Russian diplomats will be followed by relevant retaliation by Russia," Slutsky told Interfax on Thursday.
Russia will give a symmetric response to the new sanctions announced by the United States, Russian State Duma International Affairs Committee deputy head Alexei Chepa told Interfax.
"Naturally, we'll also expel ten members [of the U.S. embassy], and believe me, we have a list of companies with which we have tangible issues regarding their tangible interference in our internal affairs, against whom analogous actions will be taken," Chepa said on Thursday.