Moscow sanctions 120 ‘Russophobic’ Australians

Those on the blacklist include defence officials, mining chiefs and media bosses, editors and reporters from outlets including The Australian | FULL LIST

Vladimir Putin. Picture: AFP.

Moscow has black-listed 120 Australians, including defence officials, mining bosses, academics and media bosses, editors and reporters from outlets including The Australian and the Daily Telegraph, barring them from entering the country “indefinitely.”

The Russian foreign ministry announced on Thursday night the blacklist was drawn up in response to “the growing sanctions of the Australian government, which apply to an increasing number of Russian citizens.”

Those on the list, cited as having a “Russophobic agenda”, include Defence Force Chief General Angus Campbell, mining magnates Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest and Gina Rinehart and Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott.

Property mogul Harry Triguboff and Atlassian founders Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brooks have also been sanctioned.

Dozens of journalists have also been targeted, including 14 from The Australian – editor-in-chief Christopher Dore, editor-at-large Paul Kelly, political editor Simon Benson and foreign editor Greg Sheridan.

Russia had claimed to have blacklisted 121 people but the BBC’s Darren Goldie was listed twice, bringing the total down to 120.

Russia said that the blacklist would be expanded in the future: “Taking into account that the official Canberra does not seem inclined to abandon its anti-Russia policy line, and continues to produce new sanctions, Russia will continue updating its stop list,” the Russian foreign ministry said.

The list was announced as Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky invited Anthony Albanese to visit Ukraine. Ukrainian ambassador Vasyl Myroschnychenko said he hoped to convey the invitation to the Prime Minister personally next week. “If there is a time to visit Ukraine, it is now,” he said.

Mr Albanese is due to travel to Madrid for a NATO summit on June 28-30, with a side trip to France to repair relations with President Emmanuel Macron.

Mr Myroschnychenko said Mr Zelensky hoped to host Mr Albanese in Kyiv, in a show of solidarity against Russian ­aggression, and for him to witness first-hand the cause of Australia’s ­energy cost woes.

In April, Moscow announced entry bans on the leaders of Australia and New Zealand in tit-for-tat measures after Canberra and Wellington imposed sanctions on Russia over its military campaign in Ukraine.

AFP