Australia Tightens Sanctions on Kremlin Allies

Australia has hit 14 more Russian officials with sanctions, accusing them of silencing dissent and backing Moscow’s war on Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the new penalties were part of Canberra’s push to hold Russia to account for its human rights abuses and aggression.

“The human rights situation in Russia continues to deteriorate with violent crackdowns aimed at suppressing human rights and anti-war advocacy,” Wong said on Sept. 3.

“We condemn Russia’s intimidation and reprisals against civil society and human rights defenders, and reiterate our call for Russia to comply with its international human rights obligations.”

The latest move builds on earlier measures. Since 2022, Australia has introduced three sanction packages against Russian figures tied to the poisoning, mistreatment, and death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Alongside the new sanctions, Wong will meet Yulia Navalnaya—Navalny’s widow and now a leading figure in Russia’s pro-democracy movement.

Navalny, Russia’s most prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, collapsed and died in a Siberian prison in February 2024. He was 47.

Russian officials said a blood clot was to blame, but Ukraine and Western intelligence agencies have voiced doubts, fuelling speculation that he was assassinated.

“Navalnaya is a fearless voice for democracy in Russia, continuing her fight at immense personal cost,” Wong said.

“We honour Navalnaya’s courage and reflect on Navalny’s sacrifice and enduring legacy in the fight for freedom and justice.”

Wong added that Russia had failed to carry out an independent and transparent investigation into Navalny’s death.

“Australia holds President Putin and the Russian government responsible,” she said.

Cracking Down on Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’

The government’s latest actions build on measures introduced in June, when Australia imposed sanctions on 60 ships accused of forming part of Russia’s “shadow fleet.”

These vessels allegedly help Moscow sidestep international sanctions by switching flags, disabling tracking systems, and using weak insurance arrangements.

Their role, according to the Australian government, is to smuggle sanctioned oil and sustain Russia’s military operations.

Australia joined the UK, Canada, and the European Union in sanctioning the shadow fleet, a coordinated effort to cut off Kremlin oil revenues.

“This demonstrates our determination to ensure Russia and its enablers are held accountable for violating Ukraine’s sovereignty,” the government said at the time.

Measures came after Canberra faced criticism for indirectly funnelling billions of dollars to Russia through fuel imports.

The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air reported that since the invasion began, Australia has imported over $3.7 billion worth of fuel refined from Russian-origin crude. Much of it is processed in refineries in India and Turkey, which continue to buy Russian oil despite global sanctions.

This sits uneasily against Canberra’s pledge of $1.5 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Over 1,400 Sanctions Since 2022

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Australia has imposed more than 1,400 sanctions on individuals and entities.

In February this year, marking the third anniversary of the war, Canberra introduced bans on 70 individuals and 79 organisations linked to war crimes, the deportation of Ukrainian children, and the occupation of Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

“Australia will continue to stand with Ukraine and hold Russia accountable for its aggression,” Wong said.