US issues fresh sanctions against Russians over cyberattacks

The United States has issued fresh sanctions against Russian entities over malicious cyber activities including providing material and technological support to Russia's intelligence service, the U.S. Treasury announced Monday, Daily Sabah reports.

The Treasury Department said it was imposing sanctions on five Russian firms and three of their executives under legislation passed last year and an executive order aimed at punishing efforts to hack into U.S. computer systems. The sanctions freeze any assets that those targeted may have in U.S. jurisdictions and bar Americans from doing business with them.

"The United States is engaged in an ongoing effort to counter malicious actors working at the behest of the Russian Federation and its military and intelligence units to increase Russia's offensive cyber capabilities," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.