New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced a new round of sanctions on Saturday targeting 33 individuals and entities supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The restrictions focus heavily on cybercriminals, propagandists, and those involved in the forced relocation and “re-education” of Ukrainian children.
The package also targets individuals supporting Russia’s military-industrial complex, Russian political figures, and actors from Iran and North Korea who are providing support for the invasion.
“Children should never be used as instruments of war,” Peters stated in an official release. “New Zealand remains deeply concerned by efforts to abduct and re-educate Ukrainian children through coercive state-directed programmes.”
Targeting malicious cyber actors
The new sanctions package places a particular emphasis on malicious cyber actors and individuals disseminating anti-Ukrainian propaganda designed to legitimize Moscow’s war.
“Activities conducted behind a keyboard can have real consequences,” Peters said. “Cyber actors are increasingly being used to gather intelligence, enable sanctions evasion, and disrupt those who oppose Russia’s aggression.”
He added that New Zealand and its partners are committed to condemning Moscow’s reliance on such actors.
The Aug. 8 package marks New Zealand’s 36th round of sanctions against Russia since the country enacted the Russia Sanctions Act in March 2022.
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Wellington has imposed sanctions on more than 2,000 Russian individuals, entities, and vessels, alongside implementing various trade measures to exert economic pressure on Moscow.
Recent espionage allegations
The new sanctions arrive shortly after New Zealand dismissed accusations from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) regarding espionage.
In late July, the FSB claimed it had arrested a Russian citizen in Khabarovsk for allegedly passing sensitive information to New Zealand spies after proactively contacting the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon declined to comment on intelligence matters, but the country’s intelligence service noted that “Russian state media are often not the most reliable source of accurate reporting.”
Foreign affairs experts in New Zealand suggested the arrest was likely a politically motivated show trial intended to tarnish Wellington’s reputation.