Japan, Australia impose sanctions on Russia

Japan and Australia announced the imposition of a set of sanctions on Russia after it recognised the independence of Donetsk and Lugansk from Ukraine.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in statements that Japan will suspend visa issuance for officials from the two regions and freeze their assets. It will also ban exports to and imports from the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk as well as the issuance and trading of new Russian sovereign bonds in Japan, Kishida said.

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison also announced sanctions on some Russian individuals, and announced travel bans and targeted financial sanctions over Moscow's moves in eastern Ukraine.

Morrison stated that the ‘Russian invasion’ was unjustified and unacceptable. "Russia is at peak readiness to now complete a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and that is likely to occur within the next 24 hours," Morrison said.

He pointed out that the Australian government will immediately begin imposing sanctions on some Russian individuals, explaining that his government will impose travel bans and specific financial sanctions on eight members of the Russian Security Council.

Britain, the European Union and Canada had announced similar sanctions, including on Russian banks and Russian lawmakers who supported the recognition of the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk from Ukraine.