Russian President Vladimir Putin, a state bank and the "Death Battalion" are among the first people and entities New Zealand has imposed sanctions on under new legislation passed last week.
However, Alexander Abramov, a Russian steel magnate known in New Zealand for his luxury property in Northland, isn't on the just-released list. He also doesn't feature on the lists of overseas partners our Government is wanting to align with.
Thirteen individuals and 19 entities have been added to the sanctions list, which was enabled last week by Parliament's unanimous support for the Russia Sanctions Bill and made public on Friday. The Government's travel ban list has also been significantly expanded with an additional 364 people with political and military links to Russia's invasion of Ukraine added.
Among those subject to both a travel ban and asset freeze is Putin, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
A number of Russian military equipment companies, militias and battalions have been sanctioned, prohibiting them from having assets or providing service in New Zealand. Promsvyazbank, a Russian state bank which services the country's defence sector, has also been targeted.
"The sanctions prevent New Zealand individuals, assets and financial institutions from having dealings with those designated, and prohibits their vessels and aircraft entering New Zealand," Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta said on Friday.
"This ensures that New Zealand individuals or entities doing business with those sanctioned do not support, whether inadvertently or not, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine."
Mahuta promised this is just the start with "more substantive sanctions" to be announced. A Russia Sanctions Unit has been set up across government agencies to assist.
"We want to ensure processing is correct when designating individuals and entities, and reinforcing the international community including our closest partners to place pressure on influential individuals," she said.
"Officials are working around the clock to produce designations under our legal thresholds, and the Government intends to roll out regulations as swiftly as possible."
The minister said this includes "looking into Russian people with notable investments in New Zealand".
The Government has previously been questioned on whether Abramov, who owns a large complex in Northland's Helena Bay and has links to housing developments in Auckland, could be sanctioned.
It's refused to comment on individuals, but Mahuta has said that just because someone is Russian and wealthy doesn't mean they will be added to the list.
Abramov, who according to Forbes is worth more than NZ$8 billion, was the chairman of steel and mining company Evraz, but resigned alongside the rest of the board of directors last Friday.
That came after the UK placed sanctions on major stakeholder Roman Abramovich, who is currently selling his Chelsea Football Club, and the company's shares were suspended from trading on the London Stock Exchange.
On its list of asset freeze targets, in a section about Abramovich, the UK says Evraz has been involved in activities that could destabilise Ukraine, including potentially supplying steel to the Russian military.
But Evraz has denied this, saying it only supplied long steel to infrastructure and construction sectors.
"The Company denies the statement that it is or has been involved in providing financial services, or making available funds, economic resources, goods or technology that could contribute to destabilising Ukraine or undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine - which includes potentially supplying steel to the Russian military which may have been used in the production of tanks."
Neither Abramov nor Evraz itself have been directly sanctioned by Australia, the EU, UK or US.
Last week, a flotilla sailed past Abramov's Northland premises, with representatives of Greenpeace present. On Friday, the group said Abramov should have been on the sanctions list.
"If Jacinda Ardern’s Government is serious about applying pressure to help stop President Putin’s war on Ukraine, we need to see more than token travel bans," Greenpeace Aotearoa programme director Niamh O’Flynn said.
"It seems very unlikely that any New Zealand businesses have much trade with the Cossack National Guard, or that members of Russia’s State Duma will be planning a New Zealand getaway any time soon."
Mahuta said the sanctions will send a "clear message to Russia about New Zealand’s opposition to its invasion of Ukraine".
"It is consistent with and reinforces responses from the international community including our closest partners, and will place pressure on influential individuals."
Until last week, New Zealand had no ability to unilaterally impose economic sanctions without approval from the United Nations. All MPs supported the passing of the Russian Sanctions Bill which allows measures to be taken against individuals and entities linked to the current invasion.
Since the war broke out in late February, New Zealand has also prohibited exports to the Russian military, ended foreign ministry consultations with Russia, committed $6 million in humanitarian aid for Ukrainians and developed a special visa category for the families of Ukrainians here in New Zealand.
On Thursday, Ukrainian Ambassador to Singapore Kateryna Zelenko, who also has responsibility for New Zealand, told Parliament's Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee that her country was grateful for Aotearoa's support.
"In these dire times, we live in a strange world where the countries which are close neighbours with a shared history and culture appear to be a ruthless enemy and the nations which are so far away with different historical backgrounds appear to be a real friend," she said.
"New Zealand was among the first countries to condemn Russian invasion and to impose numerous restrictive measures on the aggressor and to show us that we are not alone in this fight. We are grateful to New Zealand for important steps taken by a country with aim to contain Russian aggression."
She said the Ukrainian Parliament's Speaker had written to New Zealand's Speaker with thanks for the unanimous support of the Russia Sanctions Bill.
Zelenko told MPs that if Ukraine can "achieve sustainable peace" she would like to see the New Zealand-Ukraine relationship strengthened further as there are "a number of untapped opportunities in our relations".
