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New Zealand introduces sanctions against 48 Russian citizens — country’s government

According to Nanaia Mahuta, the sanctions of New Zealand will target those people who were appointed "ministers or mayors"

SYDNEY, August 22. /TASS/. The government of New Zealand has adopted a new package of sanctions against 48 citizens of the Russian Federation due to the situation in Ukraine. Nanaia Mahuta, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand, announced this on Monday.

"New Zealand will sanction officials installed by the Kremlin in separatist regimes in occupied areas of Ukraine. The sanctions targeting political and military figures in separatist administrations in breakaway regions of Donetsk and Lugansk. Today’s measures affect 48 officials and one entity," Nanaia Mahuta said in a statement published on the website of the country’s government.

Mahuta specified that the sanctions of New Zealand will target only those people who were appointed "ministers or mayors" or play "other roles" in Donetsk and Lugansk and contribute to the integration of these regions with Russia.

The minister recalled that the Russia Sanctions Act "allows for a wide range of measures on these individuals, including travel bans, asset freezes, prohibitions on financial dealings and bans on ships or aircraft entering New Zealand."

To date, New Zealand has imposed sanctions against more than 800 Russian citizens, including President Vladimir Putin and deputies of the State Duma, lower house of parliament, as well as against 93 of the country's largest enterprises and organizations.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in response to the request of the leaders of the Donbass republics for help. He stressed that Moscow's plans do not include the occupation of Ukrainian territories, and the goals are the demilitarization and denazification of the country. In response to Russia's decision, the West began to gradually introduce numerous large-scale sanctions against it, and also began to supply weapons and military equipment to Kiev. At the current stage the amounts of this assistances are estimated billions of dollars.