The Trump administration yesterday released the long-awaited ‘Russia list of shame’. The 210 name list comes as a fulfillment of a demand by Congress that the US punish Russia for interfering with the 2016 US elections. 114 Russian politicians and 96 “oligarchs” who have flourished under President Vladimir Putin, fulfilling a demand by Congress that America punishes Moscow for interfering in the 2016 US election.
The List
The list compiled by Trump’s administration comprises 96 oligarchs and 114 politicians who have flourished under Russia President, Vladimir Putin’s tenure. The list forms Putin’s entire administration also listed on the Kremlin website. On the other hand, the oligarch’s list mimics the names of Forbes magazine’s Russian billionaire’s list with a net worth of over $1 billion.
The list of shame has infuriated and discouraged many loyalists in Moscow. Most loyalists have responded to the move claiming that the US is trying to influence Russia’s elections.
Trump’s administration reiterated that they would not punish those on the list yet. The new sanctions will not act as retaliation for Russia’s meddling in America’s 2016 elections. The decision not to punish Putin’s administration solicited accusations from lawmakers leveled against Trump for giving Russia a free pass. The decision also further fueled questions on whether the President was willing to confront Moscow.
Objective of Putin List
Congress’s intention on declassifying the seven-page document was not to punish those on the list. It was purely a name and shame exercise for those believed to be benefiting from the Russian President’s tenure; a move geared towards isolating Putin’s government economically and diplomatically.
Congress stated that being on the list will not trigger any US sanctions on the individuals.
However, while having been in the works for months, the list has introduced fear among the oligarchs who believe that the US government might sanction them or facilitate their blacklisting in the global financial system. The Russian oligarchs have formed fierce lobbying campaigns amongst Russian hawks in Congress to assist them in pushing the Trump administration to keep off. Fear arose within the oligarchs as the same law that envisioned the Putin List facilitates the US government to slap sanctions on anyone doing significant business with the Russians on the Putin List.
