WELLINGTON, May 2 (TASS) - The government of New Zealand announced new sanctions against the majority of members of the Russian Council of Federation, the upper house of the Russian parliament, and certain defense companies amid the situation in Ukraine, Foreign Minister of the country Nanaia Mahuta said on Monday.

The new package of sanctions will apply to 170 lawmakers and six defense companies not disclosed yet.

The country earlier introduced sanctions against eighteen Russian financial institutions and more than four hundred Russian nationals.