Australia on Sunday imposed new sanctions on Russia, immediately banning exports of alumina and bauxite. 20% of Russia’s aluminum production depends on aluminum imported from Australia.
The AFP said the country was committed to providing military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
The announcement comes just days after Canberra’s decision to allow Russian oligarch Oleg Deribaska, founder of the giant Russell, to hold a stake in Australia’s Queensland Alumina Limited.
The latter, owned by Russell and the Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto, has promised to sever all trade ties with Russia.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said his government is cooperating with its allies to “put maximum pressure on Putin’s regime to leave Ukraine.”
Australia has so far imposed 476 sanctions on 443 people, including businessmen close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and 33 companies, including most of Russia’s banking sector and all companies responsible for the country’s sovereign debt.
Additional humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine
The Prime Minister also announced that Australia would donate 70,000 tonnes of coal to Ukraine at Ukraine’s request. “We understand they can provide up to a million homes,” Morrison said.
In addition, Canberra will provide an additional $ 30 million (மில்லியன் 20 million) in humanitarian assistance to Kiev and an additional $ 21 million in military assistance, mainly including ammunition and bulletproof vests, AFP quoted Agerpres as saying.
According to Morrison, his government has recently approved nearly 5,000 3-year humanitarian visas for Ukrainian refugees to work, study and access Australia’s health care system.
Author: A.A.
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