US expels 35 Russian intel agents over vote hacking

Obama says all Americans should be ‘alarmed’ at Moscow’s meddling in elections

By Agencies 29 December 2016, 9:47 pm 2

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A combination of file photos shows US President Barack Obama, left, speaking at the White House in Washington, DC on December 16, 2016 and Vladimir Putin speaking in Moscow on December 23, 2016. (AFP/Saul LOEB AND Natalia KOLESNIKOVA)

WASHINGTON, United States — The United States on Thursday fired back at Moscow over its meddling in the presidential election, announcing a series of tough sanctions against intelligence agencies, expulsions of agents and shutting down of Russian compounds on US soil.

“I have ordered a number of actions in response to the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of US officials and cyber operations aimed at the US election,” US President Barack Obama said.

“These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm US interests in violation of established international norms of behavior.”

“All Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s actions,” Obama added.

Among the measures announced were sanctions against Russia’s FSB and GRU intelligence agencies; the designation of 35 Russian operatives as “persona non grata”; and the closure of two Russian compounds in New York and Maryland that the United States says are used “for intelligence-related purposes.”