“The next round of sanctions is directed against eight individuals and legal entities involved in organizing cyberattacks and implementing a campaign to spread disinformation in Ukraine,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement to TASS.
For example, the 85th Main Special Service Center (GTSSS) of the Main Directorate of the Russian General Staff and the Main Center for Special Technologies of the Main Directorate (GU) of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation were on the sanctions list.
In addition, the restrictions directly affected the official representative of the Ministry of Defense, Igor Konashenkov, the Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Admiral Igor Kostyukov, the president of the Krasnaya Zvezda media holding, Alexei Pimanov, the co-founder of the Crimean news agency NewsFront, Mikhail Sinelin, and the general director of the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, Oleg Dobrodeev.
In early April, New Zealand announced the imposition of sanctions against 36 Russian businessmen.
Russia subsequently blacklisted 130 New Zealand officials in response, including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
In May, New Zealand authorities announced the inclusion of 170 Russian senators and six defense companies on the sanctions list against the backdrop of the situation in Ukraine.