New Zealand announces new sanctions over Russia's war against Ukraine
New Zealand announced on May 16 a new package of sanctions against 28 individuals and 14 entities over their support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The restrictions target actors purportedly involved in the transfer of North Korean arms to Russia for use against Ukraine and Iranian actors providing military assistance to Moscow.
"Russia is directly supported by its military-industrial complex in its illegal aggression against Ukraine, attacking its sovereignty and territorial integrity," New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.
"New Zealand condemns all entities and individuals providing this military support."
North Korea has been shaping up as Russia's leading weapons supplier, reportedly providing Moscow with extensive military packages, including ballistic missiles and over 3 million artillery shells.
Iran has supplied Russia with Shahed drones and reportedly helps the country with their production in Russian factories. These "kamikaze" unmanned aircraft are widely used in attacks against Ukrainian civilian targets.
The sanctions also target those facilitating the abduction of Ukrainian children to Russia and Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories.
Over 19,500 children have been confirmed as abducted by Russia since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and less than 400 of them have been brought back home, according to the Children of War database.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over the children's deportations.
"With this announcement, New Zealand has imposed sanctions on more than 1,700 individuals and entities since the Russia Sanctions Act entered into force in March 2022, along with a range of trade measures," the government's press release read.
Read also: South Korean intelligence: North Korea suspected of supplying Russia with weapons made in 1970s
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