US sets sanctions over Russia opposition leader’s poisoning

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER Associated Press
The Biden administration has announced sanctions of Russian officials and businesses related to the poisoning and jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Administration officials haven’t publicly identified the Russians targeted but say some were on a list of prominent business and political figures Navalny urged the West to sanction, shortly before his latest arrest. They say Tuesday’s sanctions are the first of several steps planned in response to “destabilizing” actions by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government. Navalny is an outspoken critic of Putin’s. The U.S. and other governments and international organizations blame Russia for Navalny’s 2020 poisoning with a Russian-made nerve agent. Navalny was arrested when he returned to Russia after recovering abroad.