US sanctions Russian spies accused of meddling in US local election

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Biden administration sanctioned Friday two Russian intelligence officers accused of meddling in a local US election.

Federal Security Service (FSB) officers Yegor Sergeyevich Popov and Aleksei Borisovich Sukhodolov "played a significant role in the Kremlin’s attempts to conduct global malign influence operations, including efforts to influence a local election in the United States," the Treasury Department said in a statement.

Popov works in the FSB as a second service officer, and is accused of being the "primary handler" of Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a Russian national who was indicted in US court in April on election interference charges. Ionov is alleged to have been Popov's unit chief, and the Treasury said he also worked with Ionov on global influence operations.

“The Kremlin continues to target a key pillar of democracy around the world — free and fair elections,” Brian Nelson, the agency's senior official for financial intelligence, said.

“The United States will not tolerate threats to our democracy, and today’s action builds on the whole of government approach to protect our system of representative government, including our democratic institutions and elections processes," he added.

The department did not specify in which election the officers are accused of meddling, but the Justice Department alleged in April's criminal case that Ionov sought to recruit political group members in the US, including the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP), the Uhuru Movement in Florida, Black Hammer in Georgia and a political group in California.

Four US citizens who resided in Florida were indicted alongside Ionov on charges related to conducting an influence operation and serving as a Russian government agent in the US.