Australia has imposed targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against a Russian individual and four Russian companies connected to the construction and operation of the Kerch Strait Railway Bridge linking Russia to the illegally annexed territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine.

“The Kerch bridge is an attempt to consolidate Russia’s control of the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula. By virtue of their activities, this individual and the entities are complicit in seeking to legitimise Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol and support separatist activities in eastern Ukraine.

This year marks the seventh anniversary of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol. Australia continues to urge Russia to return Crimea and Sevastopol to full Ukrainian control. Australia rejects Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol and will continue to call out its ongoing intervention, interference and provocative actions in eastern Ukraine”, - reads the statement of the Minister for Foreign Affairs od Australia.