Wellington [New Zealand], March 18 (ANI/Sputnik): New Zealand on Friday published a list of the Russian politicians, journalists, entities and a bank sanctioned over Moscow’s military operation in Ukraine, according to New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry.

“On 18 March 2022, the Government released the first tranche of targets covered by new sanctions developed under the Russia Sanctions Act 2022 following Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. This first tranche prioritises political and military individuals and entities, and extends existing sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin and 12 members of his Security Council to include asset freezes and prohibitions on their vessels and aircraft entering New Zealand,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The sanctions list includes Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov, Sputnik and RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan, Novatek and Sibur major energy stockholder Gennady Timchenko, businessmen Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg among others.

Sanctioned entities include Promsvyazbank, Joint-Stock Company Almaz-Antey Corporation, JSC Research and Production Corporation UralVagonZavod, JSC 558 Aircraft Repair Plant, JSC Integral, and Tactical Missiles Corporation Joint Stock Company.

On March 7, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta announced targeted travel bans against Russian government officials and other individuals associated with the “Russian invasion of Ukraine.” (ANI/Sputnik)