Police investigating Auckland woman allegedly fundraising for Russian army

Police are investigating an Auckland woman who is reportedly using social media to fundraise more than a million rubles for the Russian war effort in Ukraine.

Earlier this week, Auckland woman Antonina Ovchinnikova was reported by Stuff as having used the encrypted messaging service, Telegram to push users to financially support volunteer army units invading Ukraine.

Ovchinnikova claimed she had facilitated the raising of more than 1.5 million rubles, about $40,000 NZD, that had gone towards purchasing items such as flak jackets, gun sights and drones for volunteer Russian soldiers, Stuff reported.

A police spokesperson said they were aware of “an individual appealing for donations via social media”.

“Enquiries are ongoing to determine whether any offences have been committed.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was aware police were “looking into the matter”, according to a ministry spokesperson.

Under the Russia Sanctions Regulations, New Zealanders were prohibited from providing services and funds to sanctioned individuals or entities.

The spokesperson cited New Zealand’s sanctions implemented against “a number of Russian banks including Sberbank”.

The Russia sanctions register, a full list of those sanctioned, was present on the ministry’s website.

People walk on the rubble after a Russian missile hit a nearby block of apartments in Mykolaiv on October 23. Photo / AP

Ovchinnikova denied that she handled the money going to Sberbank or other Russian banks sanctioned by New Zealand, in the Stuff interview.

She claimed she had been asked to run a donation scheme and used her online platform to encourage people to donate.

On Monday, Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced fresh sanctions directed at supporters of Russia’s illegal war.

The new sanctions applied to 14 individuals and seven entities, including military personnel, defence entities and executives, Russian-directed disinformation outlets, and a paramilitary organisation and its senior commanders.

“They include executives and shareholders from companies that design and manufacture missiles and firearms, as well as members of neo-Nazi paramilitary groups linked to the Wagner Group of mercenaries,” Mahuta said.

“Also sanctioned are Russian disinformation outlets including the InfoRos news agency and cyber operation run by Russia’s military intelligence, and the Crimea-based propaganda outlet NewsFront.”

More than 1200 individuals and entities had been sanctioned by New Zealand, actions that sat alongside the more than $30 million in various assistance provided to Ukraine.