Article snippet: The Trump administration is hitting five Russian entities and 19 Russian citizens with sanctions for cyber activity, including their interference in the 2016 election. The sanctions represent some of the most significant actions by the Trump administration Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. It is also the first time the administration has punished Russia for its election interference using sanctions authorities Congress passed overwhelmingly last summer and spent months demanding the White House utilize. The Trump administration has been criticized for not doing enough to push back on Russia's aggression, including in cyberspace. Additionally, the Trump administration accused Russia of waging a long-term and ongoing campaign to infiltrate the U.S. energy grid. The sanctions announced today target the Internet Research Agency, two affiliated companies, and 13 Russians who worked at the organization that spread disinformation online in the U.S., including through the use of fake personas posing as real Americans and American political groups, according to Treasury. Included on that list is Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a powerful Russian oligarch known as "Putin's chef" because he owns a catering company that services the Kremlin. All 13 of the individuals, including Prigozhin, were indicted by the office of Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russia's interference in the election and its possible ties to the Trump campaign. The announcement from... Link to the full article to read more