Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Russia will not respond to sanctions that President Barack Obama imposed after Russia allegedly launched cyber attacks to help Donald Trump win the U.S. presidential election, The New York Times reported Friday.Neil MacFarquhar writes Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov recommended to expel 35 American diplomats from the country and close a picnic area as well as a warehouse in Moscow to reciprocate U.S. sanctions.
Putin said Russia reserves the “right to take reciprocal measures” and will work with Trump’s administration to restore U.S.-Russia relations, MacFarquhar reported.
The Obama administration declared 35 suspected Russian intelligence operatives as “persona non grata”; announced sanctions on two Russian intelligence services; and penalized four leaders of one of those services called G.R.U.
U.S. intelligence agencies believe G.R.U. received support from the Russian government to launch attacks against the Democratic National Committee and other political organizations in an effort to influence the U.S. presidential election, the report stated.
