Australia slaps sanctions on four Belarusian commanders

July 20, BPN. Australia has slapped sanctions on high-ranking Belarusian military officers “who have threatened Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the country’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said.

The Australian government added four names to its blacklist: Maj. Gen. Vadzim Šadura, first deputy commander of the Northwestern Operational Command; Lieut. Col. Alaksandar Łazicki, commander of the military base 65408 (the Luniniec airfield); Col. Alaksandar Kryviec, commander of 116 Guards Assault Air Base; and Col. Juryj Pyžyk, commander of 61 Fighter Air Base in Baranavičy.

“Today Australia has imposed targeted sanctions on 35 entities in Russia’s defense, technology and energy sectors, and 10 individuals, including Russian ministers and senior officials, and senior military personnel in Belarus,” Wong’s office said in a media release. It called on Belarus to “stop supporting Russia’s senseless war.”

This is not the first time Canberra has taken action against Minsk. Last year, it banned trade with Belarusian defense companies, such as Minator-Service and KB Radar, and also sanctioned Defense Minister Viktar Chrenin. On March 25, Alaksandar Łukašenka, his wife Halina and their son Viktar also found themselves on the Australian black list.