New Zealand imposes sanctions on Putin, Mishustin, Lavrov, Shoigu - document

LONDON. March 18 (Interfax) - The first tranche of New Zealand's sanctions on Russia has been enacted, with personal restrictions imposed on President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, and other senior officials, the New Zealand government announced on its website.

The sanction list also includes Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Federal Security Service (FSB) Director Alexander Bortnikov, Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, chief of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergei Naryshkin, and Security Council permanent member Sergei Ivanov.

The sanctions include a travel ban and asset freeze.

New Zealand has also designated for sanctions 19 Russian entities, including Promsvyazbank, UralVagonZavod, the 558th Aircraft Repair Plant, Integral, Almaz-Antey Corporation, and others.

A travel ban on a total of 364 politicians, military officials, and journalists has been enacted.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta was quoted by local media as saying that the sanctions prevent "entities from moving assets here, or using our financial system to circumvent sanctions that may be imposed by other countries in the future."

New Zealand will announce "more sanctions coming over the next few weeks," Mahuta said.