Canberra: The Australian Government is placing new sanctions on Moscow’s propagandists and purveyors of disinformation, who are trying to legitimatise Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The targeting of propaganda and disinformation is one of the latest steps in Australia’s work with international partners to impose a high price on those responsible for, and complicit in, Russia’s war on Ukraine.
"Together with partners, we will drive Russia out of our economies, supply chains and airwaves," Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a statement on Tuesday.
According to Payne, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been accompanied by a widespread disinformation campaign, both within Russia and internationally.
"The addition of sanctions on those responsible for this insidious tactic recognises the powerful impact that disinformation and propaganda can have in conflict," she said.
The Australian Government is sanctioning 10 people of strategic interest to Russia for their role in encouraging hostility towards Ukraine and promoting pro-Kremlin propaganda to legitimise Russia’s invasion.
"This includes driving and disseminating false narratives about the "de-Nazification" of Ukraine, making erroneous allegations of genocide against ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine, and promoting the recognition of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic as independent," she said.
The Australian Government, she said, continues to work with digital platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Google to take action to suspend the dissemination of content generated by Russian state media within Australia.
SBS and Foxtel have already announced the suspension of Russia Today and NTV broadcasting.
This new round of sanctions will also impose targeted financial sanctions on the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against an additional six senior Russian military commanders responsible for implementing naval, ground and air attacks on Ukraine.
Last week, Australia also imposed targeted financial sanctions on a further 11 financial institutions of economic significance to Russia, including the Central Bank of Russia.
"Our designation of the Russian Armed Forces covers the Russian Ground Forces, Russian Navy, and Russian Aerospace Forces, as well as the Strategic Missile Troops and Russian Airborne Troops, and has the effect of prohibiting the export of goods from Australia to all Russian military end users. The Russian Armed Forces are directly responsible for undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and hundreds of civilian deaths," she said.
"With our global partners, we will collectively work to remove Russia’s ability to continue financing its war by targeting its most significant banks, including those critical to its defence sector. Australia and partners will continue to impose costs on Russia’s egregious, unlawful and completely unjustified war on Ukraine. We again call upon Russia to withdraw its military forces immediately from Ukraine," she concluded.
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