Australia has issued Russia with a fresh round of sanctions, cracking down on propagandists and purveyors of disinformation.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said ten individuals with “strategic interest” to Russia will be slapped with sanctions for their role in encouraging hostility towards Ukraine and promoting pro-Kremlin propaganda to legitimise Russia’s invasion.
Senator Payne described the unnamed Russians as “propagandists and purveyors of disinformation”.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been accompanied by a widespread disinformation campaign, both within Russia and internationally,” Senator Payne said.
“Tragically for Russia, President Putin has shut down independent voices and locked everyday Russians into a world characterised by lies and disinformation.
Additional sanctions will also target the nation’s armed forces, and financial sanctions and travel bans against six senior military commanders responsible for implementing ground and air attacks on Ukraine.
It will effectively make it all but impossible to export Australian goods to the Russian military.
“Together with partners, we will drive Russia out of our economies, supply chains and airwaves,” Senator Payne said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously declared any sanctions on Russia akin to a declaration on war.
Australia was named on the Kremlin’s own hit list of “unfriendly” nations earlier this week.
All corporate deals with companies and individuals on the list will now have to be approved by a Kremlin commission, and creditors will now have to pay debts in roubles.
More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine since the invasion began.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said it was clear Mr Putin’s plan was to “destroy and terrorise Ukraine” into submission.
Speaking with Sky News, Senator Payne said there was “no question” that Russia was targeting innocent civilians.
“We‘ve seen reports of the targeting of the civilian populations and that’s why Australia strongly supported the reference to the International Criminal Court with many other countries,” she said on Tuesday.
“We're very pleased to see that reference progress, and I hope that it does act very quickly to make those assessments and I’m confident that it will.”
