Politics

As part of the "evidence" meant to substantiate the unprecedented act of expelling 35 Russian diplomats and locking down two Russian compounds without a major concurrent political or diplomatic incident, or an act of war, and which simply provides an outlets for the Democrats to justify the loss of their candidate in the US presidential election (sorry, Putin did not tell the rust belt how to vote), the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI released a 13-page "report" on the Russian action done "to compromise and exploit networks and endpoints associated with the U.S.

Having already made it clear that any sanctions would be met with retaliation, IFX reports that Russian Commissioner Foreign Ministry on human rights, democracy and the rule of law, Konstantin Dolgov exclaimed that "any anti-Russian sanctions are futile and counter-productive."

Via IFX (Google Translate)

Clearly unbothered by the lack of any evidence, and/or proof that Russia was indeed behind the "hacking" of the US elections as the government has alleged, outgoing president Obama who clears out of the White House in just over three weeks, issued the following statement in response to "Russian Malicious Cyber Activity and Harassment"

THE WHITE HOUSEOffice Of The Press Secretary

December 29, 2016

Statement by the President on Actions in Response to Russian Malicious Cyber Activity and  Harassment

As promised (or threatened), the Obama administration has unveiled - via the US Treasury - new sanctions against Russia over election hacking allegations (that as yet have not been supported by any actual evidence). Despite president-elect Trump's comments that "we ought to get on with our lives," the sanctions apply to five entities and six individuals, and also including the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and closing two Russian compounds in New York and Maryland in response to a campaign of harassment against American diplomats in Moscow, a senior U.S. official said on Thursday.

Two days ago, Turkey's outspoken president Erdogan, now grudgingly pivoting into the Russian sphere of influence and away from NATO, accused the US of supporting and arming ISIS and said he has "confirmed evidence" to back up his claim: "They give support to terrorist groups including ISIS" Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara on Tuesday, adding that US coalition forces "give support to terrorist groups including Daesh, YPG, PYD. It's very clear. We have confirmed evidence, with pictures, photos and videos."