Russia issues sanctions on 121 Australians including journalists for 'Russophobic agenda'

The Russian Foreign Ministry sanctioned 121 more Australian citizens, including journalists and defence officials on June 16, citing a "Russophobic agenda" in the country. Mining magnate Gina Rinehart, chairman of Seven West Media Kerry Stokes, entrepreneur Andrew Forrest, and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas have all been added to the list. Among those sanctioned are journalists from ABC News, the Sydney Morning Herald, Nine and Sky News, as well as numerous defence personnel.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Australia slapped sanctions on Russian military commanders and close associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Dmitry Peskov, Putin's press secretary, and Maria Zakharova, the Foreign Ministry's director of information, were among those sanctioned.

On June 14, Russia announced a similar step against hundreds of British journalists, citing Western sanctions and the distribution of 'false information' about Russia. The list included prominent journalists, news anchors, editors, and senior executives, as well as the editors-in-chief of the Times, Daily Telegraph, Independent, and Guardian newspapers.

Russia has accused the sanctioned individuals of pursuing a "Russophobic agenda," and the country has stated that the blacklist will be enlarged in the future. In retaliation for Canberra and Wellington imposing sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow slapped entrance restrictions on the presidents of Australia and New Zealand in April.

Russia-Ukraine War

As Moscow strives to retain momentum in its campaign for control of eastern Ukraine, it has instructed Ukrainian forces holed up in a chemical facility in besieged Severodonetsk to lay down their arms by early Wednesday. Ukraine is pressing for an increase of Western heavy weaponry after Russia deployed the majority of its firepower to the eastern Donbass region, a matter that is due to be discussed at a NATO defence ministers conference on Wednesday in Brussels.

As the Kremlin pushed for victory in the Donbass region, Russian soldiers closed off the last routes for evacuating civilians from the eastern Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, according to a Ukrainian official. According to regional governor Sergei Gaidai, the only bridge to the city was demolished, trapping any surviving inhabitants and making humanitarian supplies hard to deliver. He said that 70% of the city was under Russian control.