If Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was planning a break in Russia with her partner after packing up her office, she will be bitterly disappointed.
The Russian Federation has just banned her fiance Clarke Gayford from entering Russia in response to New Zealand sanctions against the Russian Federation.
A statement by the Russian foreign ministry said the personal sanctions against Aotearoa journalists, government officials and public figures were due to their involvement in “the promotion of the anti-Russian agenda and support for the regime in Kiev”.
Gayford joins a bunch of Stuff staff members including senior executives Sinead Boucher, Mark Stevens and Joanna Norris. Journalists Glenn McConnell, Anna Whyte and Katie Ham are also on the list.
The Russian Federation has previously blacklisted Ardern and all 120 members of Parliament.
Also banned were the country’s spy chiefs – Security Intelligence Service (SIS) director-general Rebecca Kitteridge, and Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) director-general Andrew Hampton.
New Zealand has imposed travel bans on more than 500 Russians and Belarusian members of the political, military and business elite, including President Vladimir Putin and the 12 members of his Security Council.
The sanctions include applying a 35% tariff on all imports of Russian origin and prohibiting the export of certain goods to Russia and Belarus, including products that are closely connected to strategic Russian industries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has advised people not to travel to Russia due to the impacts the armed conflict with Ukraine on commercial flight availability and access to financial services.
“There is also potential for the security situation to deteriorate with little warning.”
