Australia levies sanctions on Russian leaders & businessmen as Ukraine war enters day 128

In retaliation to Russia's continuing military offensive in Ukraine, Australia on Friday sanctioned three Russian ministers along with an additional 12 Russian nationals. According to a letter made public by the Australian Department of Home Affairs on July 1, the Children's Rights Commissioner for the President of the Russian Federation, Maria Lvova-Belova, has also been sanctioned by the nation. The letter further revealed that independent sanctions have been put in place on the Russian ministers of agriculture, Dmitry Patrushev, Transport Minister Vitaly Saveliev as well as Minister for Construction, Housing and Utilities Irek Faizullin, TASS reported.  

In addition to this, Igor Putin, a businessman; Mikhail Putin, the deputy chairman of the management board of Sogaz Insurance; Roman Putin, the chairman of the board of directors of the MRT Group of Companies, and Alina Kabaeva, the board chair of the National Media Group, are all targeted by the embargoes.  

Australia's sanctions against Russia

Besides this, Yury Shamalov, the head of the Gazfond non-governmental pension fund, Mikhail Klishin, member of the Board of Directors at Sogaz, the chairman of the board of the Rosgeologia corporation and Yevgeny Novitsky, the former head of the AFK Sistema corporation, are among the few who have been blacklisted by the Australian government. 

Notably, Australia has previously imposed sanctions on 828 Russian and Belarusian individuals, including the leaders of those two nations, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko, as well as on 47 significant Russian businesses and organisations. Moreover, the nation has outlawed the import of Russian energy, weapons, and ammunition, as well as the export of weaponry, commodities, and oil and gas extraction machinery to Russia. 

Russia responds with sanctions on 121 sanctions on Australians

Meanwhile, earlier on June 16, the Russian Foreign Ministry imposed sanctions on 121 more Australian people, which comprise journalists and defence personnel, claiming a "Russophobic agenda" in the country. The list has been expanded to include businessman Andrew Forrest, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes, billionaire Gina Rinehart and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas. Journalists from ABC News, the Sydney Morning Herald, Nine, and Sky News, as well as various defence officials, are among those who have received sanctions, as per media reports.  

The sanctioned individuals have been charged with having a "Russophobic agenda," and Russia has announced that the blacklist will grow in the future. In April, Moscow imposed entry restrictions on the presidents of Australia and New Zealand as retribution for Canberra and Wellington's sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. 

Australia stepping up military assistance to Ukraine

In addition to this, Australia is stepping up its defence assistance to Ukraine as Russian forces continue to destroy the key cities. According to a 9 News report, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's administration had delivered the first four M113AS4 armoured personnel carriers. The assistance indicated above is a portion of the nation's $285 million aid package to Ukraine. Further, in the past, Canberra has provided ammunition, unmanned aerial systems, Bushmaster vehicles, and anti-armour weaponry. 

(Image: AP)