Latest on the war in Ukraine
Dec. 12 () –
The New Zealand authorities have imposed sanctions this Monday against another 23 people for allegedly supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine as part of a series of measures taken in retaliation for the actions of the Russian Army.
The country’s Foreign Minister, Nanaia Mahuta, has indicated that these measures are aimed at “individuals and disinformation networks after the aggressive acts of (Russian President) Vladimir Putin.”
“Putin continues to use a network of media agencies and influential commentators as part of a propaganda machine to spread false information and lies as part of a specific narrative about the invasion of Ukraine,” the minister lamented in a statement.
Thus, he explained that the people sanctioned “have a direct impact on the public perception of Russia’s illegal war.” “Among them are representatives of the Russian media and information agencies,” she said.
In this sense, he has accused them of creating a “misinformation fog that serves Russian interests in their offensive on the sovereign territory of Ukraine.” “This announcement shows our complete rejection of Putin’s narrative and his attempts to manipulate the international community,” he said.
“The latest round of sanctions expands those already applied in May against Russian disinformation actors and now includes people who work for news agencies and other media,” he said.
The New Zealand government has imposed sanctions against more than 1,200 individuals and entities in the context of the Ukraine war and has also introduced unprecedented trade sanctions, leading to a marked reduction in trade ties between the parties.
