Australia ramps up sanctions against Russia

Australia has ratcheted up sanctions against Russia in line with the United States and European Union in response to Russian soldiers openly violating Ukraine sovereignty.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Monday accused Russia of “brazenly” trying to break eastern Ukraine away from the rest of the country.

The new sanctions expand upon financial sanctions and travel bans introduced by Australia in March. They ban any new arms trade with Russia, prohibit Russian state-owned banks from accessing Australian capital markets, and ban trade in Russia’s oil and gas industry and in Crimea.

Targeted financial sanctions and travel bans now apply to an additional 63 Russian and Ukrainian individuals and 21 entities, raising the total numbers to 113 individuals and 32 entities.