Wellington: New Zealand has lifted sanctions against the former head of Russia's Evraz mining company, Alexander Abramov, along with his family, as announced by the New Zealand Foreign Ministry. The decision marks a significant shift in New Zealand's foreign policy since the sanctions were first imposed in October 2022.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the amendment regulations came into effect on April 11, 2025, officially removing Abramov and his family from the list of sanctioned individuals. The Russia Sanctions (Alexander Abramov relatives) Designation Notice 2022 (No 5) has been revoked, and the sanctions register has been updated to reflect this change, including a new one-off exemption that has been recently granted.

A ministry spokesperson clarified to The Post newspaper that lifting the sanctions includes removing travel and transportation bans against Abramov, his wife, and their children. The initial sanctions were implemented eight months after Russia's special military operation in Ukraine began.

Moscow has consistently expressed its resilience against the growing sanctions pressure. Russian President Vladimir Putin has commented that attempts to contain Russia have significantly impacted the global economy, while Western countries have often acknowledged the limited effectiveness of such sanctions.