Obama and Putin exchanged New Year's gifts
On Thursday, December 29, the White House announced the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats, as well as the closure of two suburban diplomatic residences of Russia in New York and Maryland. In addition, the United States announced new sanctions in response to cyber attacks carried out from the territory of Russia. Several legal entities fell under the sanctions, including the FSB and the GRU of the Russian General Staff, and six physical ones.