New Zealand Sanctions Against Russia Target Cyber Actors
New Zealand has announced a new round of sanctions against Russia, targeting 33 individuals and entities accused of supporting Moscow's war against Ukraine. The latest New Zealand sanctions against Russia place particular focus on cyber actors, individuals linked to the forced relocation and re-education of Ukrainian children, and entities supporting Russia's military-industrial complex.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the package also targets individuals involved in creating and spreading anti-Ukraine propaganda, as well as actors from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Iran providing support to Moscow.
“Children should never be used as instruments of war,” Peters said, expressing concern over efforts to abduct and re-educate Ukrainian children through state-directed programmes.
New Zealand Sanctions Target Russian Cyber Actors
The latest Russia sanctions include several individuals previously accused by the United States and other Western governments of malicious cyber activity.
Among them are Yuliya Pankratova and Denis Degtyarenko, members of the pro-Russian hacktivist group Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR). The U.S. Treasury sanctioned both individuals in 2024 over alleged cyber operations targeting U.S. critical infrastructure.
U.S. officials identified Pankratova, who uses the alias “YUliYA,” as the group's leader, while Degtyarenko, known as “Dena,” was described as one of its primary hackers. American officials alleged that Degtyarenko was responsible for compromising an industrial control system at a U.S. energy company and had developed training materials for compromising supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems.
Pankratova has also allegedly been associated with Z-Pentest, another pro-Russian hacking group accused of targeting critical infrastructure.
New Zealand has also sanctioned Aleksandr Volosovik, known online as “Yalishanda.” U.S. prosecutors have accused him of helping operate Media Land, a Russian bulletproof hosting provider allegedly used by cybercriminals to target organizations including hospitals, schools and banks.
In July, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed charges against Volosovik and two other Russian nationals, alleging activities that caused more than $62 million in losses to victims in the United States and other countries.
GRU-linked Official Among Sanctioned Individuals
Another individual included in the latest New Zealand sanctions against Russia is Andrey Averyanov, a senior Russian military intelligence officer who previously commanded GRU Unit 29155.
Western governments have linked the unit to cyberattacks, sabotage and other covert operations. Its cyber division has been accused of targeting governments, defense organizations, think tanks and other entities in Ukraine and NATO countries.
New Zealand had previously sanctioned members of the unit over alleged malicious cyber activity targeting Ukraine and other countries.
Russia Propaganda and Technology Entities Targeted
The new sanctions also target Russia's Internet Development Institute (IRI), a Kremlin-backed organization that finances digital media and content promoting Russian state narratives. IRI director Alexey Goreslavsky has also been designated.
The British government has previously said the institute was established by Russia's presidential administration and received hundreds of millions of dollars in government funding. Its projects have included films and video games promoting narratives associated with the Kremlin.
Russian information technology company LANIT has also been added to the sanctions list. The company has provided services to Russia's Defense Ministry and sanctioned defense-industry companies, including state-owned conglomerate Rostec. LANIT had previously been sanctioned by the United States, Canada and Ukraine.
New Zealand Reaches 36th Russia Sanctions Round
The latest package represents New Zealand's 36th round of Russia sanctions since the Russia Sanctions Act came into force in March 2022.
New Zealand has now imposed sanctions on more than 2,000 Russian individuals, entities and vessels, alongside trade restrictions. The measures generally include asset freezes and travel bans and prohibit New Zealanders from making funds or other assets available to designated individuals and entities.
Peters said cyber activity can have real-world consequences, noting that cyber actors are increasingly being used to gather intelligence, enable sanctions evasion and disrupt those opposing Russia's aggression.
