SYDNEY, February 23. /TASS/. The Australian government is imposing economic sanctions on Russia following its decision to recognize the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday.
"We will be also moving, as the United States and the UK has, to sanction the Russian State Development Bank, VEB, the military bank Promsvyazbank, Rossiya, IS Bank, the General Bank and the Black Sea Bank. The Treasurer has spoken today to all of the CEOs of the major banks and to put them on alert to be aware of any suspicious transactions or things of that nature. And, of course, AUSTRAC will be doing their job in response to what could possibly occur. In response to Russia's recognition of Lugansk and Donetsk regions of eastern Ukraine as independent states, that is why these actions are being undertaken to extend into those areas," he said.
According to the Prime Minister, "Our intention today and the decisions taken by the National Security Committee are to ensure that we are in lockstep with the United States and the United Kingdom in the sanctions that they are imposing upon Russia and these other areas. Initially, we will oppose imposing travel bans and targeted financial sanctions on eight members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. Tomorrow morning, I will meet with the Governor-General here in Sydney, and I've spoken to him earlier today, as a Special Executive Council meeting to enable my Government to impose those additional sanctions against Russia."
Tensions escalated along the line of contact in eastern Ukraine on the morning of February 17. The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR, LPR) reported the heaviest shelling by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in months. On February 18, the heads of the LPR and DPR, Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin, announced the evacuation of the republics’ residents to Russia. General mobilization was ordered in the Donbass republics on February 19.
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed decrees at the ceremony in the Kremlin on recognizing the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Putin met with DPR and LPR leaders, Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pasechnik, and signed with them the treaties on friendship, cooperation, and mutual aid between Russia and both republics.