U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats including shutting down of two Russian compounds in the U.S. in a number of actions announced on Thursday.
Obama’s speech stated that the actions were “in response to Russia’s malicious cyber activity and harassment.”
“Today, I have ordered a number of actions in response to the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at U.S. election.
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 U.S. interests in violation of established international norms of behaviour.
The U.S State Department is also shutting down two Russian compounds, in Maryland and New York, used by Russian personnel for intelligence-related purposes, and is declaring ‘persona non grata’ on 35 Russian intelligence operatives.
Finally, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are releasing declassified technical information on Russian civilian and military intelligence service cyber activity.
This is to help network defenders in the U.S. and abroad to identify, detect, and disrupt Russia’s global campaign of malicious cyber activities,” Obama said.
According to him, all Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s actions.
Obama added that “in October, my Administration publicised our assessment that Russia took actions intended to interfere with the U.S. election process.”
“These data theft and disclosure activities could only have been directed by the highest levels of the Russian government. Moreover, our diplomats have experienced unacceptable level of harassment in Moscow by Russian security services and police over the last year. Such activities have consequences,” Obama said.
He explained that he had issued an executive order that provided additional authority for responding to certain cyber activity aimed at interfering with or undermining America’s election processes and institutions, or those of its allies or partners.
“Using this new authority, I have sanctioned nine entities and individuals: the Main Intelligence Directorate (Glavnoe Razedyvatelnoe Upravelenie or GRU) and the Federal Security Service (Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti or FSB), two Russian intelligence services; four individual officers of the GRU; and three companies that provided material support to the GRU’s cyber operations. In addition, the Secretary of the Treasury is designating two Russian individuals for using cyber-enabled means to cause misappropriation of funds and personal identifying information.”
The U.S. president explained that “these actions are not the sum total of our response to Russia’s aggressive activities.”
“We will continue to take actions at a time and place of our choosing, some of which will not be publicised.
In addition to holding Russia accountable for what it has done, the United States and friends and allies around the world must work together to oppose Russia’s efforts to undermine established international norms of behaviour, and interfere with democratic governance.
To that end, my Administration will be providing a report to Congress in the coming days about Russia’s efforts to interfere in our election, as well as malicious cyber activity related to our election cycle in previous elections,” Obama said.
I have been reporting on latest news from Nigeria for almost 10 years now. I report on every possible news area I come across, but always ensure my reports are compiled with dignity and fact to uphold my personal values and duty as a journalist
Posted: at 30-12-2016 06:27 AM (8 years ago) | Addicted Hero
chukkychukky at 30-12-2016 07:05 AM (8 years ago) (m)
Ooooh so ur angry but u interfere in nigerian's election by imposing a herdsman to us
Joramentity aka chukkychukky
Posted: at 30-12-2016 07:05 AM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Even the most powerful nation on earth can be hacked. Russia won't just stop meddling with other people's affair. i just hope u don't meddle with Nigeria cuz na Juju we go use pursue u...
Posted: at 30-12-2016 09:12 AM (8 years ago) | Upcoming
freethinker at 30-12-2016 09:59 AM (8 years ago) (m)
OBAMA IS A BIG FOOL, HE IMPOSED BUHARI ON NIGERIANS, NOW NIGERIANS ARE SUFFERING...... THANK GOD CLINTON DID NOT WINN COS SHE WOULD CONTINUE FROM WHERE OBAMA WILL STOP...MAYBE LEGALISE PEOPLE MARRYING ANIMALS
Posted: at 30-12-2016 09:59 AM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac
@FREETHINKER! OBAMA IMPOSE BUHARI ON US SO 4 MILLION NIGERIANS VOTE DIDNT COUNT? JUST THE WAY OBASANJO IMPOSE JONATHAN ON US. LET ME TELL YOU OBAMA IS THE BEST PRESIDENT AMERICA EVER HAVE TILL DATE ,TWICE HE WON ELECTION WITH OVER 350 ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND ALSO GOT THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF POPULAR VOTE, LESS THAN A MONTH BEFORE LEAVING OFFICE HE STILL HAS THE HIGHEST RATING MORE THAN ANY PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA, YOU STUPID GOOD FOR NOTHING IGBOS YOU GUYS HATE YOURSELVES AND ANY OTHER BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD YOU GUYS ONLY KNOW HAS TO LICK WHITE PEOPLE ASS, THATS WHY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO EXECUTE YOU GUYS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
Posted: at 30-12-2016 11:11 AM (8 years ago) | Upcoming
OLOWOBABA10 at 30-12-2016 11:13 AM (8 years ago) (m)
OBAMA IS THE WORST PRESIDENT OF AMERICA AND HE IS LOOKING FOR EXCUSES FOR HIS FAILURE , IT'S EITHER RUSSIANS, FAKE NEWS, COMNEY ETC . HE IMPOSED ABOKI ON NIGERIA AND HE THOUGHT HE CAN GET AWAY WITH IT , THAT IS KARMA !
Posted: at 30-12-2016 11:13 AM (8 years ago) | Upcoming
OLOWOBABA10 at 30-12-2016 11:14 AM (8 years ago) (m)
Quote from: Zaki68 on 30-12-2016 11:11 AM
@FREETHINKER! OBAMA IMPOSE BUHARI ON US SO 4 MILLION NIGERIANS VOTE DIDNT COUNT? JUST THE WAY OBASANJO IMPOSE JONATHAN ON US. LET ME TELL YOU OBAMA IS THE BEST PRESIDENT AMERICA EVER HAVE TILL DATE ,TWICE HE WON ELECTION WITH OVER 350 ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND ALSO GOT THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF POPULAR VOTE, LESS THAN A MONTH BEFORE LEAVING OFFICE HE STILL HAS THE HIGHEST RATING MORE THAN ANY PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF AMERICA, YOU STUPID GOOD FOR NOTHING IGBOS YOU GUYS HATE YOURSELVES AND ANY OTHER BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD YOU GUYS ONLY KNOW HAS TO LICK WHITE PEOPLE ASS, THATS WHY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO EXECUTE YOU GUYS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
DID YOUR MOMA TELL YOU WHO YOUR REAL FATHER IS ?
Posted: at 30-12-2016 11:14 AM (8 years ago) | Upcoming
@OLOWOBABA OBAMA THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER! THAT SHOW HOW DUMB YOU ARE, GOOGLE AND SEE FOR YOUR STUPID SELF, WHAT KARMA? HE WON TWO TERMS SUCCESSFULLY, IN THE MOST RACIST COUNTRY ON EARTH YOUR GENERATIONS CAN NEVER ACHIEVE THAT HEIGHT. YOU GUYS THAT TRUMP IS SEEING AS MONKEYS, YOU DONT UNDERSTAND YOUR LEFT FROM YOUR RIGHT LIKE GOOD FOR NOTHING IGBOMAN CALLING HIMSELF FREETHINKER.
Posted: at 30-12-2016 01:47 PM (8 years ago) | Upcoming