Russia-Ukraine crisis updates: Australia announces more sanctions

The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis:

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CANBERRA, Australia — Australia has announced additional sanctions on Russia and is warning businesses to prepare for retaliation through Russian cyberattacks.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Wednesday that targeted financial sanctions and travel bans will be the first batch of measures in response to Russian aggression toward Ukraine.

Australia and Russia have imposed sanctions on each other since 2014. The sanctions were initiated by Australia in protest of Russian involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

The National Security Committee in Morrison’s Cabinet approved sanctions and travel bans that target eight members of the Russian Security Council. They also agreed to expand previous sanctions and to align with the United States and Britain by targeting two Russian banks.

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s government summoned Russian Ambassador Georgii Zuev to meet Wednesday with top diplomatic officials who are urging Russia to return to diplomatic negotiations over Ukraine.

Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta is currently out of the country but said in a statement that the ambassador was called in "to hear New Zealand’s strong opposition to the actions taken by Russia in recent days, and condemn what looks to be the beginning of a Russian invasion into Ukraine territory."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed to The Associated Press that the meeting had taken place but declined to provide any further details.

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SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea has no plans to send troops or other types of military support to Ukraine amid an escalating crisis, but says it may join a U.S.-led economic pressure campaign against Russia.

A South Korean presidential official, who spoke on condition of anonymity during a background briefing on Wednesday, said Seoul was considering its possible actions but that "military support or troop deployment aren’t included."

When asked whether the U.S. has asked Seoul to join in sanctions against Russia, the official said Washington has been sharing with allies its plans to impose stringent trade controls and punitive financial measures against Moscow.

"Major Western nations have expressed intentxjmtzyw to participate in the sanctions against Russia," the official said. "We are also looking into (the matter) while keeping various possibilities open."

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday expressed "grave concern" over the Ukraine crisis and called for related nations to respect the Minsk agreements aimed at restoring peace to eastern Ukraine, while seeking a diplomatic solution.

The ministry didn’t directly criticize Russia, but said Seoul has consistently supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territory.

— Tong-hyung Kim

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TOKYO — Japan’s prime minister has announced sanctions targeting Russia and two separatist Ukrainian regions recognized as independent by Russian President Vladimir Putin, joining an international effort seeking to pressure Russia to return to diplomatic talks.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday that his government will ban the new issuance and distribution of Russian government bonds in Japan in response to the "actions Russia has been taking in Ukraine."

He said Japan will also suspend visa issuance to people linked to the two Ukrainian rebel regions and freeze their assets in Japan, and will ban trade with the two areas.

Kishida expressed his "strong condemnation" of Russia, saying it has violated Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as international law.

"We strongly urge Russia to return to a diplomatic process in resolving the developments," he said.

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UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations chief says the world is facing "the biggest global peace and security crisis in recent years" and is calling Russia’s declaration of the "so-called `independence"’ of separatist areas in eastern Ukraine a violation of its territorial integrity, and accusing Moscow of "the perversion of the concept of peacekeeping."

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Tuesday he is proud of the achievements of the UN’s far-flung peacekeepers, but when troops of one country enter the territory of another country without its consent, as Russian forces have done, "they are not impartial peacekeepers — they are not peacekeepers at all" as Moscow has called them.

Guterres said Russia’s unilateral actions "conflict" with the UN Charter and are "a death blow to the Minsk Agreements" aimed at restoring peace to eastern Ukraine.

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