What the US sanctions on Russia meant by April 2021

What happened between Washington and Moscow in the days before 17 April 2021? On 15 April, the United States imposed a package of retaliatory measures on Russia, and by 17 April the diplomatic exchange was still unfolding.

According to reports from the time, Washington cited three grievances: the 2020 United States federal government data breach, interference in the 2020 United States elections, and the occupation of and human rights abuses in Crimea. The measures banned trade in bonds newly issued by Russia's Central Bank, National Wealth Fund and Ministry of Finance. The U.S. also formally named the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service as responsible for the data breach, blacklisted 32 Russian entities and individuals, and expelled ten Russian diplomats.

The breach behind the measures

The data breach was later described as a cyberattack suspected to have been carried out by a group backed by the Russian government. It penetrated thousands of organisations worldwide, including several parts of the U.S. federal government. Affected organisations also included NATO, the U.K. government, the European Parliament and Microsoft.

Moscow's response

Russia denied the allegations. Its Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the U.S. ambassador to tell him that a series of retaliatory measures would follow soon. A ministry spokesperson also said that a potential summit between the two countries' leaders might not take place.

For readers in Kyiv and the wider region, Crimea's inclusion on the American list was notable. It placed the occupation of the peninsula and human rights abuses there alongside the cyber and election grievances in a single set of measures.

Where matters stood on 17 April 2021

By that date, Washington had acted and Moscow had promised to answer. The possibility of a leaders' summit had been publicly called into question by the Russian side.