Washington concerned about 'bad guys' from Russia - media

Washington is expected to present a so-called ‘Kremlin report’ to the Congress by the end of January, containing a list of high-ranking public officials and businessmen, who are seen as Kremlin insiders. 

A former US administration sanctions coordinator and a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank, Daniel Fried, explained that being put on the special list does not automatically mean being sanctioned. 

"I assume the persons on the list will not face practical consequences, for example, financial (ones) right away. Nevertheless, the very fact of being put on the list increases the risk of being sanctioned in the future," the Kommersant business daily cited him as saying.

The task of compiling such a list is stipulated by the law on ‘Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act’ (CAATSA) signed by President Donald Trump in August. 

According to the expert, "the law itself does not say that the report will serve as a basis for a new sanctions list." "However, I would not conceal the fact that many US Congressional members would like to use it this way, and this may eventually happen. In this respect, I understand why many in Moscow are nervous now," Fried added.

According to him, "it is more reasonable to make up a short, but strong list of ‘bad guys’ connected with corruption, criminal activity and acts of aggression, instead of trying to ‘exceed the target’." 

The politician added that the US Treasury Department, the State Department and a number of other agencies are also involved in compiling the list.