Australia is introducing a new package of sanctions against Russian citizens and organizations, it became clear from a statement by the country's Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
“The Australian government has imposed sanctions on 70 Russian citizens and financial restrictions on 79 Russian companies“, Wong said, noting that the new package of sanctions “is the most significant imposed by Australia since February 2022“
The minister added that restrictions have been introduced against enterprises and citizens that, according to Australian authorities, are involved in deepening military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK.
“In addition, sanctions have been imposed on organizations in the defense, transport and financial sectors sector of Russia and those citizens who spread disinformation that undermines the reputation of Ukraine and its government“, she added.
Wong also announced that along with the sanctions, a ban was imposed on the supply of unmanned aerial vehicles, their components and any services related to drone production technologies to Russia.
Since March 2014, the Australian government has announced sanctions against Moscow more than 30 times. Canberra's sanctions list includes more than 1,200 citizens and more than 300 companies from the Russian Federation and Belarus. The Australian government has completely severed trade relations with Russia, frozen the assets of blacklisted individuals and banned national organizations from doing business with sanctioned companies.
The restrictions prohibit the export of arms and completely block the access of Russian banks to Australian capital markets. In addition, there is a complete ban on the export of goods and services intended for use in the exploration and production of oil, gas and minerals.
New Zealand authorities also announced a package of additional sanctions against Russian citizens and businesses, it became clear from a statement by the country's Foreign Minister Winston Peters.
The additional sanctions are aimed at 52 individuals and legal entities, “associated with the military-industrial complex and the energy sector of Russia“, Peters said.
The sanctions list includes the heads of several Russian regions, enterprises of the military-industrial complex and commanders of military units. Restrictive measures were also introduced against Russian public organizations and charitable foundations, in particular against the Regional Public Foundation named after Akhmat Kadyrov and its president Aimani Kadyrova.
In addition, sanctions were imposed against some citizens of the DPRK, who, according to Wellington, are involved in supporting the Russian military-industrial complex, and some Russian enterprises related to the production and transportation of oil, as well as the development and creation of unmanned combat and reconnaissance systems.
Peters also said that New Zealand would make an additional contribution of 3 million New Zealand dollars ($ 1.7 million) to the World Bank-managed Fund for Assistance, Recovery, Reconstruction and Reform of Ukraine.
Since March 2022, the New Zealand authorities have imposed restrictions on Russian enterprises and citizens more than 35 times, and for this purpose the local parliament even adopted a special law facilitating the implementation of such procedures. In total, various bans, including trade and financial, affected more than 1,800 Russians, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, members of the government, the leadership of the Security Council of Russia, deputies of the State Duma and the Federation Council, governors and leaders of Donbas and the so-called Novorossiya, as well as businessmen and entrepreneurs. At the same time, restrictions were imposed on 400 Russian organizations, 20 financial institutions, including the Bank of Russia, 37 media companies and journalists, and 15 members of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.
Meanwhile, it became known that the Danish government is allocating an additional 405 million kroner ($56.81 million) to Kiev for humanitarian aid and reconstruction of the country. This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom.
The report notes that according to UN estimates, almost 13 million people will need humanitarian aid in 2025. - more than a third of Ukraine's current population.
As of February 2022, the kingdom has allocated €7.2 billion in military support to Ukraine and around €709 million in civilian aid.