Sanctions Tracker – Update on Australia’s response to the situation in Ukraine

Australia has recently extended its sanctions regime to designate additional individuals and entities, and pledged to provide further military assistance for Ukraine.

Further designations

On 24 February 2023, the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Australian Government announced additional sanctions in response to the ongoing Russian hostilities. [1] Foreign Minister Penny Wong reiterated that Australia’s sanction regime against Russia remained its largest, and noted that:

“Australia is imposing additional sanctions, targeting those in the Russian Government who are helping prolong this war, those financing this war, and those spreading mistruths to justify this war.”[2]

The measures – which impose targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on 90 individuals and financial sanctions on 40 entities[3] – are intended to target those engaged in activities of major economic and strategic significance to Russia or are a threat to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. These new designations have been imposed on:

• 90 individuals: Russian ministers with portfolios in key areas of concern, key actors in the Russian defence industry, as well as those involved in Kremlin propaganda to affirm support for President Putin, including Deputy Prime Ministers of the Russian Federation, the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment and the Minister of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Disaster and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill.
• 40 entities: including Lukoil, Russia’s second largest company after Gazprom and one of the world’s leading companies for crude oil and gas production; Kalashnikov Concern, one of the largest arms manufacturers in Russia; and Sputnik, a Russian state-controlled broadcaster.

As of 23 February 2023, Australia has imposed over 1,000 sanctions as part of its economic and political response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The updated Consolidated List can be found on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade here.

Additional Military Assistance

As part of Australia’s support for Ukraine, the Government announced it will provide additional Uncrewed Aerial Systems, a non-weaponised surveillance drone, to Ukraine.[4] Although not armed, these drones provide increased surveillance capacity and the ability to conduct reconnaissance of enemy forces.

Footnotes

^{[1] Australia Stands with Ukraine with Additional Military Support and Sanctions}

^{[2] Australia stands with Ukraine with additional military support and sanctions}

^{[3] Autonomous Sanctions (Designated Persons and Entities and Declared Persons—Russia and Ukraine) Amendment (No. 2) Instrument 2023}

^{[4] Australia Stands with Ukraine with Additional Military Support and Sanctions}