a) in the long term these actions could have a negative effect in Russia; aka an increase of terrorisme on Russian soil. A side effect of current policy.
b) if Russia doesn't do what it is told we are going to do some nasty stuff on Russian soil. A direct threat.
Based on US history (regime change combined with creating an uprising) option b doesn't feel like some tinfoil. Every country has economic issues and there are always certain groups that are willing and open for outside influence that results in riots or simply terrorism.
What I find interesting, is the level of desperacy being displayed by the US and its partners. It is visibily increasing and I feel something is boiling. As known, Saudi Arabia is quickly approaching bankrupcy. Europe is not much better, Italian, Spanish banks are a mess. Greece needs more funding, and Deutsche Bank looks like a catastrophy. The US national situation is also increasingly getting worse, unemployment, rich/poor differences, racial issues, while their debt and need for funding cannot be easily financed anymore. We are back at old 'cold war' retoric and relations between Russia/US and China/US are detoriating to their lowest.
Feels like we are nearing a global default / collapse and the US desperately tries to keep the balance in their favor before things are falling apart.