Palmetto State News

U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) introduced a bill to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law.

Countries currently designated as state sponsors of terrorism under U.S. law include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria. State sponsors of terrorism are defined as having repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism.

“When it comes to pushing back against Putin’s Russia, Senator Blumenthal has been terrific and I’m grateful for his efforts,” said Senator Graham. “I’m looking forward to voting on our legislation to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism under U.S. law for several reasons. Most importantly, this designation would dramatically increase the tools available to the U.S. to punish Putin for his barbaric behavior in Ukraine and his disruptive behavior throughout Africa and the world at large. Putin’s Russia is a state sponsor of terrorism and it’s long past time to make it official under U.S. law.”

“Russia's cruel campaign of violence and aggression has earned it the right to be among the pariah club of state sponsors of terrorism," said Senator Blumenthal. "Putin's unprovoked invasion has involved countless atrocities and crimes against humanity, inflicting terror and death on thousands of innocent civilians. He has repeatedly shown reliance on torture and murder. Designating Russia a state sponsor of terrorism will allow the United States to more aggressively combat Putin's savagery as well as his threat to freedom and democracy.”

The bill would have secondary effects including sanctions for countries engaged in any exchange with Russia, expand the type of dual-use export items that would not be allowed into Russia, and drastically curtail Russia’s sovereign immunity in U.S. courts, thereby opening up Russia to lawsuits and other civil claims from victims of state-sponsored terrorism.

At the direction of Vladimir Putin, the government of Russia has promoted acts of international terrorism against political opponents, foreign nationals, and other countries.

Examples include:

- 2004: The chemical poisoning of Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko.

- 2006: The poisoning of former Russian Federal Security Service officer Alexander Litvinenko in London.

- 2014: Supplying surface-to-air missiles used by pro-Russian rebels to shoot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.

- 2016: Supporting an aerial bombing campaign by the Russian-Syrian coalition in Aleppo, Syria.

- 2018: Poisoning former Russian military officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal in the United Kingdom.

- 2022: Illegally invading Ukraine resulting in thousands of civilian deaths.

- 2024: The reported death from “sudden death syndrome” of Russian opposition leader Aleksey Navalny.

Following Navalny’s death, President Biden stated: “Make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalny’s death."

To read the full bill text or watch the joint press conference visit HERE.