Australia has imposed targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against a Russian individual and four Russian companies connected to the construction and operation of the Kerch Strait Railway Bridge linking Russia to the illegally annexed territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine.
The official statement was published on March 30 on the website of the Australian Foreign Ministry.
“The Kerch bridge is an attempt to consolidate Russia’s control of the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula. By virtue of their activities, this individual and the entities are complicit in seeking to legitimise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol and support separatist activities in eastern Ukraine… Australia continues to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in coordination with our international partners. Today’s announcement is made in coordination with Canada and aligns with action taken by the United Kingdom and European Union.”- the message reads.
Australia has maintained autonomous sanctions against Russia since it illegally annexed Crimea and Sevastopol in 2014. Since 2014, the total of 168 individuals and 52 legal entities are subject to Australian sanctions against the Russian Federation.
As Apostrophe reported earlier, on March 29, Canada announced the introduction of new sanctions against Russia due to the occupation of Crimea. Two individuals and four legal entities have been sanctioned.