Obama orders sanctions over Russian hacking

UPDATE: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that no U.S. diplomats would be expelled in response to U.S. sanctions against Russia. He described the sanctions as a “provocation aimed at further undermining Russian-American relations.”

“The Russian diplomats returning home will spend the New Year holidays with their relatives and dear ones,” Putin said in a Kremlin-released statement. “We will not create problems for U.S. diplomats. We will not expel anybody.”

Putin’s comments came soon after reports that the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, had suggested expelling 35 diplomats and closing two U.S. facilities in Russia in response to the sanctions.

Putin said in his statement that he would attempt to rebuild relations with the United States after the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

“Further steps towards the restoration of Russian-American relations will be built on the basis of the policies carried out by the administration of President Trump,” Putin said.

Trump said Thursday evening it was “time to move on” in response to President Barack Obama’s announced sanctions. But he added that he would meet with U.S. intelligence leaders next week to be updated on the situation.

OUR EARLIER REPORT (12/29/16, 2:56 p.m.): The Obama administration has ordered sanctions against Russian officials in retaliation for interference in last month’s presidential election. Moscow denies any involvement in the hacking that U.S. intelligence agencies describe as an attempt to ensure President-elect Donald Trump’s win.

Hackers stole emails from the Democratic National Committee and from John Podesta, campaign chairman for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The website Wikileaks published the stolen documents in batches leading up to the election. After Clinton lost, her supporters blamed the email leak for contributing to Trump’s victory.

In announcing today’s sanctions, President Barack Obama said “all Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s actions.”

Although Trump has called claims of Russian interference “ridiculous,” Republican lawmakers have joined the bipartisan call for an investigation into what happened.

In addition to sanctions, the U.S. State Department has ordered 35 Russian diplomats and their families to leave its embassy in Washington, D.C., and a consulate in San Francisco. It also blocked access to two Russian government-owned compounds in Maryland and New York.