Ukraine: Greenpeace calls for freeze on Russian oligarch assets

Greenpeace Aotearoa’s executive director Russel Norman says the organisation “condemns the Russian government’s cruel invasion of Ukraine, and calls on President Putin to withdraw his forces and cease military operations.”

“The international community, including the New Zealand Government, must do everything in its power to bring this war to a fast and peaceful end, especially including ramping up sanctions on the billionaire Russian oligarchs who benefit from the system. It is these oligarchs and not the Russian people, who are behind the war unfolding now,” he says.

“To further pressure Vladimir Putin to cease military operations, Greenpeace calls on the Ardern Government to immediately freeze the New Zealand assets of Russian oligarchs close to him, until Putin’s aggression against Ukraine ends.

“Greenpeace abhors Putin’s threats to use nuclear weapons and urges world leaders not to play into his hands by matching his rhetoric and escalating the threat of nuclear war.

“The Russian military invasion of Ukraine poses an unprecedented nuclear threat, with the country’s 15 commercial nuclear reactors, including the largest nuclear plant in Europe, at risk of potentially catastrophic damage that could render vast areas of the European continent, including Russia, uninhabitable for decades.(1)

“Greenpeace is deeply concerned about the Russian military’s occupation of Chernobyl and fighting around nuclear facilities across Ukraine which risks a potential nuclear disaster especially the Zaporizhzhia plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, that has reportedly been on fire after an attack by Russian troops.

“As this terrible conflict enters its second week there is also a real risk that the humanitarian tragedy worsens as access to food becomes more difficult.

“Greenpeace stands in solidarity with the organisations and activists taking to the streets around the world to peacefully demand an end to this disastrous war, especially those in Russia, who are risking their safety and freedom to do so.”