Russia Adds Australia To List Of 'Unfriendly' Countries

Russia has added Australia to its hit list of taking 'unfriendly actions' against the Kremlin.

Russian media outlet RIA Novosti tweeted out the countries who have been added to Putin's list, which were approved by the government of the Russian Federation on Monday.

The list now includes Australia, Albania, Andorra, United Kingdom, including Jersey, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Canada, Liechtenstein, Micronesia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Korea, San Marino , North Macedonia, Singapore, USA, Taiwan, Ukraine, Montenegro, Switzerland, and Japan.

So, what does this mean for Australians and the other 50 countries that have made it to Russia's hit-list? While the decree is a big step on the Kremlin's part, it does not signal that Russia will be attacking these countries.

What is does mean is that Russia has changed how its citizens deal financially with those on the 'unfriendly' nation list.

Russians and Russian companies that deal with 'foreign creditors' - so international businesses or individuals - will now be able to pay their debts in rubles, which has dropped significantly in value since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.

Economists have described the ruble value as hitting 'an all-time low'.

Any new business with foreign 'unfriendly' nations has also been halted, after Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree that Russian companies now must apply to the government to deal with certain international companies.

"According to the [decree signed by Mishustin], a Russian resident company or a foreign company from the list of unfriendly countries must apply for permission to deal," said Russian cabinet.

Despite these new restrictions, many international companies have pulled arrangements and services with or in Russia in protest of the Ukrainian invasion.

TikTok, Netflix, Ikea, Disney, Warner Bros, BP, Mastercard, Visa and more have halted services inside Russia in the wake of attacks on Ukraine.

According to Russian news agency Tass, countries deemed 'unfriendly' to the Kremlin are those who have imposed sanctions on Russia or degenerated their 'special military operation of the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine'.

Russia's cabinet added that the financial rules with foreign business have been changed in 'in order to ensure the financial stability of Russia in the face of external sanctions pressure' from 'unfriendly' nations.

So far, there has been no comment made by the Australian government on the addition to Putin's 'unfriendly' list, but the news does come in the wake of Prime Minister Scott Morrison calling on China to step up and put pressure on Russia to end the conflict.

"No country will have a bigger impact on concluding this terrible war in Ukraine than China," he told the ABC.

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