White House says it will punish Russia for 'detaining American citizens'
The White House announced it would impose new sanctions on Russia for "detaining American citizens".
According to RIA Novosti, White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said in an interview with Fox News on August 4 that the US will impose new sanctions on Russia for "illegally detaining US citizens".
“We have asked Americans not to travel to Russia, we have imposed sanctions under the Levinson Act, and we will do so again,” said White House Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby.
Earlier, on August 1, Russia and the US exchanged a total of 24 prisoners and two children in the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War. This was the result of two years of tense negotiations.
In the prisoner exchange, eight Russian citizens detained in the United States, Germany, Norway and Poland for various crimes were released, and in return, the country freed 16 people, including Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan, five German citizens and other prisoners.
US officials said the prisoner swap negotiations had been going on for months, but the final details of the deal were only reached as President Joe Biden weighed a crucial decision about his political future.
