Washington, DC – Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08) issued the following statement after the Justice Department announced indictments against 12 additional Russians for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election:

I commend the U.S. Justice Department for continuing to hold hostile Russian actors accountable for seeking to undermine our democratic institutions and our elections. Today’s indictments make it clear that Russia continues to use cyber weapons to sow division and distrust both here and abroad. I’m glad that these foreign actors are being held accountable, thanks in part to Congress, but there’s much more to be done.

At next week’s summit, the President should use these indictments to challenge Vladimir Putin. Our nation must not tolerate a Russian regime that seeks to undermine our elections, continues an illegal occupation in Ukraine, and backs the brutal Assad regime in Syria. We must serve harsh justice to those who engage in such actions.

Last year, Fitzpatrick voted to enact sweeping new sanctions on Russia and joined fellow Congressional Ukraine Caucus co-chair Rep. Marcy Kaptur in calling for their enactment. Prior to today’s announcement, Fitzpatrick co-sponsored the DISARM Act [H.R. 5216] – bipartisan legislation directing the president to impose sanctions on senior political figures and oligarchs in the Russian Federation and other related Russian entities.