Australia is imposing a new set of sanctions against Russia, with further rounds potentially targeting 300 Russian lawmakers, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday.
“There will be further waves of sanctions as we identify those responsible for these egregious acts.
“This includes the discussion had this afternoon with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, moving on around over 300 members of the Russian Parliament,” Morrison told a press conference.
The “second phase” of adopted sanctions includes punitive measures on additional 25 Russian individuals, including army commanders, defence officials, and Russian mercenaries.
As well as four entities engaged in military production, according to the prime minister.
On Wednesday, he announced sanctions against eight members of the Russian Security Council.
A ban on cooperation with five Russian banks in addition to restrictions of Australian investments to the Russian state development corporation VEB, the prime minister recalled.
The sanctions come as Russia launched a military operation in the Donbas region of Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday in response to requests for help from the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk republics.
Moscow said that there is no threat to civilians as the army targets military facilities and not Ukrainian cities.
