Greenpeace Aotearoa is joining a peace flotilla that is sailing to Russian oligarch Alexander Abramov's luxury coastal retreat in Northland later this week.
It comes after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed New Zealand will freeze the assets of Russia's elite and ban Russian super yachts, ships and aircraft in support of Ukraine.
Ardern announced on Monday the Russia Sanctions Bill which provides further sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.
Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O'Flynn called for the Government to go a step further and freeze Abramov's assets in support of Ukraine.
"The world has watched in horror as Vladimir Putin's military war on Ukraine threatens millions of lives and an unprecedented nuclear disaster. The international community has scrambled to apply pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the invasion and here we have the luxury lodge of a Russian oligarch, right in our backyard."
"We applaud the Government's announcement yesterday of the The Russia Sanctions Bill, but if they are serious about using sanctions to pressure Putin, then they must go for the big fish quickly. That means freezing Alexander Abramov's assets, as New Zealand's richest Russian investor," O'Flynn said.
She said New Zealand has a "long and proud" history of standing up for peace and this is no different.
"We pushed back against the might of the nuclear powers and declared ourselves a nuclear-free zone. Now is a time when we must stand up again.
"To end a violent invasion without further violence, we need to be creative about affecting change. If you don't want to add more bombs to the situation, then you need to pressure the money and power behind it, and that's what we aim to do with sanctions on Alexander Abramov's Helena Bay estate.
O'Flynn will join the flotilla aboard the veteran protest yacht SV Vega, and join SV Windbourne skippered by Avon Hansford, who also sailed to protest oil exploration in New Zealand waters. She says other yachts are also expected to join.
The flotilla will set sail from Auckland's Waitemata Harbour on Thursday, to convene in Whangaruru Harbour, and sail to the retreat at Helena Bay together.
O'Flynn says Greenpeace stands in solidarity with the "organisations and activists taking to the streets around the world to peacefully demand an end to this disastrous war".
The Government's new sanctions can be imposed on people, services, companies, and assets related to those in Russia who are responsible for or associated with the invasion, or that are of economic or strategic relevance to Russia, including oligarchs.
A public sanctions register will be set up to list every individual, entity, asset, or service that is sanctioned. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) on Monday published the list of Russian officials and other individuals associated with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, who are banned from travelling to New Zealand.
The new law also allows for sanctions to be imposed against other states complicit with Russia's actions, such as Belarus.
New Zealand lacks an independent sanctions law that would allow it to target the Kremlin without going through the United Nations, which Russia as a permanent member of the Security Council has veto power over.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, confirming months of speculation of an imminent invasion of land Russian President Vladimir Putin considers to be sliced off Russia following the Soviet Union's collapse in the early 1990s.
It came after Putin recognised two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine - Donetsk and Luhansk - as independent entities. The Russian leader claims to be defending Russian-speaking communities through the "demilitarisation and de-Nazification" of Ukraine.
The Kremlin calls it a "special military operation", not an invasion.
Ardern told Newshub Nation she was "in absolute despair" after hearing about the invasion, which has so far claimed the lives of at least 9000 people while the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine has passed 1.5 million.
Because Ukraine is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) - an intergovernmental military alliance between 28 European countries and the United States and Canada - it must fight the battle alone.
But the US, the EU, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other nations have responded with sanctions aimed at crippling the Kremlin.
Some countries have sent weapons and other supplies to Ukraine. Germany had a longstanding practice of blocking lethal weapons from being sent to conflict zones, but decided to send 1000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger anti-aircraft defence systems to aid Ukraine.
New Zealand was one of the first countries to send aid to Ukraine - an initial $2 million to help deliver essential humanitarian assistance, with a focus on supporting health facilities and meeting basic needs such as provision of food and hygiene items.
On March 3, New Zealand joined more than 30 states in referring the atrocities that have occurred in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court which will enable an investigation into war crimes that may have occurred in Ukraine.
But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is far from satisfied. He lashed out at NATO over the weekend after his request for a no-fly zone was rejected by allies over fears it could bring the US and Europe into direct conflict with Russia.
"Any movement in this direction will be considered by us as participation in an armed conflict by that country," Putin said on Saturday.
He added that imposing a no-fly zone would have "colossal and catastrophic consequences not only for Europe but also the whole world".
Russia is becoming increasingly cut off with its banks blocked from SWIFT, the world's main banking messaging service. The country's stocks and currency tanked to record lows, while the Russian central bank more than doubled interest rates to 20 percent.
Russian oligarchs - the rich and powerful few who influence Putin or benefit from his leadership - have had their assets frozen in several countries, even the traditionally neutral Switzerland.
The US and European partners are now exploring banning Russian oil imports, but US Secretary of State Blinken has stressed the importance of maintaining steady oil supplies globally.
Russia has shut its airspace off to 36 countries in retaliation to sanctions. It came after Europe, Canada and the UK shut their airspace for Russian airlines.
"These sanctions that are being imposed are akin to a declaration of war but thank God it has not come to that," Putin said on Saturday.
The Kremlin has now banned Facebook, Twitter and major foreign news outlets as part of a new law to punish anyone spreading "false information" about its Ukraine invasion with up to 15 years in prison.
The crackdown comes as the Kremlin scrambles to contain discontent over the war and control the narrative. Police have detained more than 4600 people at Russia-wide protests against the invasion.
