Sydney: The Australian government announced on Friday that it had sanctioned two daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

It follows similar steps by the US and the UK, bringing the total number of Australian sanctioned individuals and businesses in Russia to about 750.

It did not name the two Putin daughters, although they are known as Katerina Tikhonova and Maria Vorontsova. The statement said President Putin and Lavrov were sanctioned on February 27.

The new penalties target 144 Russian senators who backed President Putin by endorsing the “illegitimate” designation of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent on Feb. 22, the Australian foreign ministry stated.

Foreign Minister Marisa Payne stated that Australia will continue to punish Russia for its “unjustified and unprovoked aggression in Ukraine”. Ukraine has been demilitarised and “denazify” by Russia’s invasion.

Last week, Australia sanctioned 14 Russian state-owned companies, including truckmaker Kamaz and maritime giants SEVMASH and United Shipbuilding Corp.

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