Australia on Wednesday vowed to become the latest country to impose travel bans and asset freezes on Russian and Ukrainian officials deemed responsible for Russia's annexation of Crimea.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that eight Russians and four Ukrainians were on the sanctions list, but did not provide their names, The Australian newspaper reported.
Bishop did not rule out the possibility of more individuals being added to the list.
She condemned President Vladimir Putin for signing a treaty on Tuesday to add the Crimean peninsula to Russia and said that Sunday's referendum in Crimea on the subject of reunification was illegitimate.
Bishop said that the reported killing of a Ukrainian soldier in Crimea was deplorable and added that there was still potential for military confrontation in Ukraine.
The U.S., Britain, Canada, the European Union and Japan have already brought sanctions against Russia.
