The White House has announced Thursday that it will expel 35 Russian intelligence operatives in the United States as punishment for hacking and harassment that occurred during this year's Presidential election.
In an executive order, President Obama has listed sanctions against nine different Russian entities and individuals, including the GRU and the FSB (two Russian intelligence services), four GRU officers, and three companies that provided support to the GRU.
The individuals and their families will have 72 hours to pack up their things and leave the States.
"Russia’s cyber activities were intended to influence the election, erode faith in U.S. democratic institutions, sow doubt about the integrity of our electoral process, and undermine confidence in the institutions of the U.S. government. These actions are unacceptable and will not be tolerated," officials said in a press release from the White House.
These sanctions are also in direct response to the treatment of U.S. ambassadors within Russia, with other Western embassies reporting the same harassment.
In a statement from the White House, President Obama says, "All Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s actions" and that "we will continue to take a variety of actions at a time and place of our choosing, some of which will not be publicized."
In response to these incidents, DHS and the FBI have released a full report detailing the hacks they have confirmed come from Russian sources, as well as preventative measures to thwart further attacks.
