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New Zealand sanctions individuals, defense entities of Belarus

The latest round of sanctions extends to 27 Belarusian individuals, including a number of military leaders

SYDNEY, May 17. /TASS/. New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta has announced sanctions against a number of Belarusian defense entities and individuals, including the country’s leader Alexander Lukashenko, over the situation in Ukraine.

"The Belarusian government military is enabling the illegal and unacceptable assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty," Mahuta said in a statement published on the country’s website. "Under the leadership of [Belarusian] President Lukashenko, Belarusian territory has been used to launch attacks into Ukraine. New Zealand condemns all involved in assisting Russia, <…> and we call on Belarus to immediately renounce their support," she said late on Monday.

The latest round of sanctions extends to 27 Belarusian individuals, including a number of military leaders, the minister said.

Earlier, New Zealand sanctioned more than 650 Russian citizens, including President Vladimir Putin, State Duma deputies and 55 largest Russian companies.

On February 24, President Putin announced a special military operation in response to a request for help by the heads of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, but aimed to demilitarize and denazify the country. The US, the EU, Great Britain, Australia and a number of other countries retaliated with their sanctions against Russian individuals and entities.

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