OFAC Sanctions FSB Officers

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued sanctions against two officers of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) who are believed to have played crucial roles in the Kremlin's attempts to influence a local election in the United States.

Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson commented on Friday's action, stating, “The Kremlin continues to target a key pillar of democracy around the world — free and fair elections. 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.”

Allegations suggest that the Kremlin has been using social media as a platform for disseminating disinformation, in an attempt to create and exploit societal divisions in the United States and reduce confidence in democratic processes. It is claimed that such efforts are part of Russia's larger geopolitical strategy, with a particular focus on weakening U.S. diplomatic ties and promoting anti-U.S. and anti-democratic political views.

The FSB officers sanctioned today, Yegor Sergeyevich Popov and Aleksei Borisovich Sukhodolov, have been linked to the FSB's Service for the Protection of the Constitutional System and the Fight Against Terrorism (the “FSB 2nd Service”). They are alleged to have orchestrated a network of operatives to undermine democratic processes globally.

Evidence suggests that Popov acted as a handler for Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov and Natalya Valeryevna Burlinova, who had been designated by OFAC in July 2022, and was later indicted for working on behalf of the Russian government in conjunction with the FSB. 

Sukhodolov, in turn, is accused of conducting foreign malign influence operations around the world, including in the United States, Ukraine, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. His activities involved collaboration with other FSB officers and a Russia-based institution to secure funding for FSB operations via grant applications.

Today’s sanctions follow OFAC designations that expose Russia's alleged attempts to interfere with the U.S. elections and create destabilization in Ukraine.

Both Popov and Sukhodolov have been designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 for allegedly acting for or on behalf of the Government of the Russian Federation. On April 18, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida indicted both men for working on behalf of the Government of the Russian Federation.