Australia Imposes Sanctions on Russian Officials, Companies

Australia has imposed new sanctions on 38 Russian officials and 11 companies in connection with the situation in Ukraine.

This is the second round of sanctions by Australia, following similar ones in March, targeting 12 Russian and Ukrainian citizens, thus making a total of 50 individuals and 11 companies.

Among those with travel bans are Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Federation Council Chairwoman Valentina Matviyenko and State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin, The Voice of Russia reported. The full list of names will be published only after they are passed in a legislative act.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop expressed her country's "clear and unequivocal support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine".

Meanwhile, Moscow reacted harshly to the news.

“This is an absolutely counterproductive step and any unilateral sanctions do not help the case. This is the step which is certainly unfriendly. This is the infringement of legal rights and interests of the Russian citizens. As usual, we do not leave such steps without a relevant and adequate response”, Russian Foreign Ministry’s Commissioner for Human Rights Konstantin Dolgov said, cited by RIA Novosti.