BRUSSELS, April 7 (Reuters) – Australia
will impose financial sanctions and travel bans on an additional 67
Russians over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Foreign Minister Marise
Payne said on Thursday, taking the total number of people and entities
sanctioned to almost 600.
“Today, I’m announcing 67 further
sanctions of Russian elites and oligarchs, those close to (Russian
President Vladimir) Putin who facilitate and support his outrageous
actions,” she told reporters as she arrived at NATO.
In a media
statement issued after her public remarks, Payne said the new listings
followed “the emergence of evidence of war crimes committed by Russia in
Bucha and other towns around Kyiv”.
Russia has said it launched a
“special military operation” in Ukraine and denied accusations of the
killing of civilians during its occupation of Bucha, calling it a
Ukrainian “provocation”.
Those sanctioned included Russian
military official Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev and Deputy Prime
Minister Dmitry Grigorenko, Payne said.
Australia has supplied
defence equipment and humanitarian supplies to Ukraine, while imposing a
ban on exports of alumina and aluminium ores, including bauxite, to
Russia.
Payne
said Australia has now sanctioned close to 600 individuals and
entities, including most of Russia’s banking sector and all entities
responsible for the country’s sovereign debt.
(Reporting by Robin Emmott; Additional reporting by John Mair in Sydney; Editing by David Evans and Edmund Klamann)
Photo – Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne . EPA-EFE/MICK TSIKAS
