Australia bans luxury exports to Russia

Other banned items include leather goods like handbags, furs, rugs, carpets, lobster, truffles, perfume, jewellery, make-up products and luxury clothing worth more than $500 an item.

She said Australia was taking part in co-ordinated action with other western nations.

“They are being undertaken in coordination with key partners to restrict the Russian elite’s access to such goods,” Ms Payne said.

“They are being undertaken in coordination with key partners to restrict the Russian elite’s access to such goods. The European Union and the United States already have bans in effect. Japan’s ban will enter into force today, and the United Kingdom’s ban is due to follow soon.”

Meanwhile, European officials have signalled that they could sanction Russia’s energy exports after images emerged of mass killings of civilians in Bucha, near the Ukrainian capital.

Josep Borrell, the European Union’s top diplomat, said in a statement that the bloc was working as a “matter of urgency” on drawing up new sanctions against Russia.

French President Macron said that he would support a total ban on Russian coal and oil exports to the European Union as soon as this week.

Europe has imposed punishing economic sanctions on Russia since Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February. But oil and natural gas exports have so far been spared by the bloc — partly because of differences between member states that are heavily reliant on Russian energy and those wanting to move faster to strike at the heart of the Russian economy.