Russia has slapped Nuix executives with sanctions after boasting its technology is helping Ukraine’s war effort

The CEO of the investigative software company was proud to reveal how his firm was helping Ukraine in the war against Russia – and now the Kremlin has retaliated.

Proud claims by Nuix software chief executive Jonathan Rubinsztein that his Sydney-based investigative software company was providing the Ukrainian government and its armed forces with crucial analytical tools for its war against Russia looks to have seen the CEO senior executives slapped with personal sanctions.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation has released a list of 48 Australian citizens spread across private corporations, defence contractors, politicians, public servants and journalists that closes entry to them to Russia.

The ministry has accused these Nuix executives, and others on the list, of fostering the “anti-Russian agenda” in Australia.

Among the list, which includes Victorian deputy Premier Jacinta Allan, executives from defence company Thales and Australia Day Council representatives is Nuix boss Mr Rubinsztein and some of his most senior executives.

The Nuix executives now slapped with sanctions from Russia include its chief operating officer and chief financial officer Chad Barton, vice president of governance and risk Oliver Harvey, chief marketing officer Jee Moon, human resources director Melissa Pascoe, international vice president Jonathan Rees and chief information officer Alexis Rouch.

“In response to the politically motivated sanctions against Russian individuals and legal entities introduced by the Australian government as part of the Russophobic campaign by the collective West, entry to Russia is closed indefinitely for additional 48 Australians from among contractors of the military-industrial complex, journalists and municipal deputies who are creating the anti-Russian agenda in that country,” the notice on the Russian foreign ministry website reads.

It’s not just Bushmaster infantry vehicles Australia is sending to Ukraine, with Nuix technology being used to investigate alleged war crimes committed by Russian soldiers and mercenaries. Picture: ADF via NCA NewsWire

In an interview with The Australian in March, Nuix CEO Mr Rubinsztein proudly pronounced that Nuix software had been used by the Ukrainian government over the past year, which was proving a crucial tool in a war that Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, had said has seen an unprecedented amount of unstructured data created.

The CEO added that he saw Nuix’s collaboration with Ukraine about also helping to defend democracy.

Nuix’s software takes unstructured data such as images, text and voice data and makes it searchable.

The Nuix technology was also being used to investigate alleged war crimes committed by Russian soldiers and mercenaries.

“We’ve had a relationship with Ukraine for about four years, and eight months ago I got a call asking whether we would support the cause. And it wasn’t a commercial question, it was a question around ‘we say we stand as a force for good, well what does that mean?’,” Mr Rubinsztein said in his interview with The Australian.

“So it’s actually an intrinsic question not about money, but about what we think about the world and about sovereignty, and it was a very easy decision, it was a no-brainer.

“This is about protecting democracy. So we gave software away, we installed it really quickly, and I definitely think in terms of usage we are punching above our weight from an Australian perspective. And similarly our country has decided it’s a no-brainer, so I think we’ve been very fortunate to be able to support in a tiny way and have the opportunity to help.”