Congressman Sires’ Statement on Reports of Russia Offering Bounties to Harm U.S. Forces

(Washington D.C.) –Congressman Sires expressed his outrage over reports that Russia has been paying Taliban-linked militants to harm U.S. troops:
“I am disgusted and appalled, though ultimately not surprised, by reports that Russia has been running a bounty program to incentivize Taliban-linked militants to attack U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan. These actions will not stand and demand a response from the U.S. government. While the President works on ingratiating himself with a ruthless and conniving dictator such as Putin, the Russian government allegedly plots to harm men and women of the U.S. armed forces. Congress needs to be briefed immediately on this matter and if the Trump Administration has known about this program for months, as has been reported, they have failed our servicemembers and the American people by refusing to hold Russia accountable.”