Australia To Target 28 Russians With Fresh Sanctions - Foreign Minister

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd October, 2022) Australia plans to introduce more sanctions against Russian officials following referendums held in several Ukrainian regions on becoming part of Russia, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.

"The Australian Government will impose further costs on Russia... Additional targeted financial sanctions and travel bans will be imposed on 28 Russian-appointed separatists, ministers and senior officials," Wong said in a Sunday statement.

She emphasized that Australia does not recognize the referendums held in the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics (DPR, LPR), as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

"The areas of Ukraine currently occupied by Russian forces are the sovereign territory of Ukraine," Wong said. According to the foreign minister, the new sanctions "reinforce Australia's strong objection to the actions of (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin and those carrying out his orders.

Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, after the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against Ukrainian provocations. In response to Russia's operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine.

On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the heads of the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics (DPR, LPR), as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, signed agreements on the accession of these territories to Russia, following referendums that showed that an overwhelming majority of the local population supported becoming part of Russia.