KEY POINTS:
- Australia will send additional military equipment to Ukraine on one-year anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.
- The sanctions regime will also be expanded.
- Australia's funding for Ukraine's war efforts has gone past $500 million.
Ukraine's envoy in Australia has declared his country will fight for "as long as it takes" to expel Russian forces, one year on from Moscow's latest invasion.
Australia has marked by announcing surveillance drones will be sent to bolster Ukraine's war effort, with new sanctions imposed on Russian-linked officials and entities.
But the Coalition is urging it to join 67 other nations in re-establishing Australia's embassy in Kyiv, and maintain the "generous" visa pathway for Ukrainian citizens it opened before the May 2022 federal election.
said "sustainable and systemic" support from his country's Western allies was needed as the conflict shifts from defending Ukraine to winning "for the world's sake".
Vasyl Myroshnychenko has declared his country will fight for "as long as it takes" to expel Russian forces, one year on from Moscow's latest invasion. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
"We’ll fight for as long as it takes ... Never for a minute should the West forget Ukrainians see themselves as fighting for you as much as they fight for Ukraine," he said.
"The democratic world has recognised this is not only Ukraine's war, but its war too. The world has made common cause with the fight for democracy and against authoritarianism."
'Australian mateship'
The ambassador delivered his address just hours after the federal government announced its latest military assistance package for Ukraine, including roughly $33 million worth of uncrewed aerial systems to provide Ukrainian forces with a bird's-eye view of the battlefield,
Penny Wong (centre) and Defence Minister Richard Marles (second from right) during a visit to Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, where Australian Armed Forces are supporting the UK-led training of Ukrainian recruits. Credit: Ben Birchall/PA/Alamy
"Each additional Bushmaster from Australia to Ukraine isn’t just a very hardy and handy battle vehicle. Rather, it is the ANZAC spirit and Australian mateship for Ukraine on wheels, wheels that roll toward mutual victory," Mr Myroshnychenko said.
The federal government has also announced it will attempt to further damage Moscow's war effort by expanding its sanctions regime targeting Russian-linked individuals and entities.
Up to 70 Australian Defence Force personnel are also in the UK, working alongside partner nations to train Ukrainian recruits. Friday's anniversary coincides with the first cohort, around 200 troops, graduating from the military training course.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said the aircraft would provide the Ukrainian army with additional "battlefield intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability" as they repelled the "unwarranted aggression of Russia".
"Australia will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes ... [The recruits] leave with skills and knowledge that will save lives when they take up the fight against Russia," he said.
Canberra first imposed sanctions on Russian officials in 2014, after Moscow's annexation of Crimea, before dramatically expanding it after last February's full-scale invasion.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong revealed an additional 90 individuals and 40 entities will also be targeted, meaning more than 1,000 Russian-linked sanctions had been imposed since early 2022 on individuals and entities - the largest sanctions regime in Australian history.
Friday marks the one-year anniversary of Russia's latest invasion. Source: Getty / Anadolu Agency/Anadolu Agency
"Australia’s sanctions regime against Russia is our largest. This reflects our support for the people of Ukraine and for the fundamental norms of sovereignty and territorial integrity."
The government was yet to confirm whether any of the new sanctions were imposed via the Magnitsky Act, able to be targeted at individual foreign government officials.
Embassy call
In a statement on Friday morning, the Coalition called for the "generous and easier" pathway to visas for Ukrainians it implemented to be maintained, which it said had seen over 9,000 granted.
"This anniversary of Russia’s reprehensible invasion will be a difficult day for Ukrainians. We share their grief, particularly those in Australia who live every day worried for loved ones back home," the statement said.
"Australia must not grow fatigued of helping Ukraine defend itself. It is imperative the Albanese government provide additional humanitarian support and further military assistance."
Mr Myroshnychenko welcomed the humanitarian assistance and protection already provided by Australia, urging it to continue issuing visas to Ukrainians fleeing war.
"If more people, Ukrainians, could come here [under] temporary state protection, that would be good. I think that would be a good thing to do," he said.
Former prime minister Scott Morrison ordered the evacuation of Australia's embassy in Kyiv just over a week before Russia's invasion, warning the deteriorating situation was "reaching a very dangerous stage". The site has yet to reopen.
But after 67 other countries reopened their own diplomatic missions, including the UK and US last year, the Coalition demanded the government to follow suit.
