New Australian sanctions target Russian oligarchs

Australia has announced a new wave of sanctions targeting Russian oligarchs, key businesspeople and their family members over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Federal Government named 33 individuals as the subject of new sanctions. They include Roman Abramovich, the UK-based owner of English Premier League football club, Chelsea.

Among others were Dmitri Lebedev, the chairman of Bank Rossiya, and Alexey Miller the chief executive of global energy corporation Gazprom, Sergey Chemezov, chairman of defence contractor Rostec and Nikolay Tokarev, chief executive of state-run oil pipeline company Transneft.

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Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Australia had to date imposed 460 sanctions against individuals and corporations over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"The sanctions announced today reinforce Australia's commitment to sanction those people who have amassed vast personal wealth and are of economic and strategic significance to Russia, including as a result of their connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin," Ms Payne said.

"Many of these oligarchs have facilitated, or directly benefited, from the Kremlin's illegal and indefensible actions in Ukraine since 2014."

Australia follows the US, Britain, Canada, the European Union and New Zealand, in sanctioning key Russian individuals over the invasion of Ukraine.

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Last month the Federal Government imposed sanctions against all 339 members of the Russian parliament and eight oligarchs close to Mr Putin.

Russia later responded to the international sanctions by drawing up a list of nations who "commit unfriendly actions against Russia, its companies, and citizens" through sanctions.

They included Australia, EU states, the US, UK, Canada, Ukraine, Singapore, Japan and Taiwan.