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Ukraine's ambassador to Australia has called for ongoing, goals-based military assistance to secure his nation's victory against Russia.

Marking a year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko addressed the National Press Club in Canberra and called for a step-up in support.

Mr Myroshnychenko said Russia would only respond to strength and therefore military aid from the west must align with the ultimate goal of Ukrainian success.

"This war will not be won by business as usual," he said on Friday.

"It will be won by all those on the side of democracy being beyond brave to overcome a shared challenge. We need strength we last mastered in the Second World War.

"Australia has always shown greater strength in the world than its size would ordinarily dictate."

Australia announced it would provide drones to Ukraine to help Kyiv in its fight against Russia.

The $33 million package will help intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

A further suite of financial sanctions and travel bans will also be rolled out against 90 people and 40 entities.

Mr Myroshnychenko thanked the Australian government for the humanitarian and military aid, saying it had helped Kyiv take back 50 per cent of recently occupied territories.

"It is the ANZAC spirit and Australian mateship for Ukraine on wheels, wheels that roll toward mutual victory," he said.

"The more Aussie mateship, the faster Ukraine's and democracy's victory."

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop the war in Ukraine and withdraw his forces.

Mr Albanese paid tribute to Ukrainians, who had shown courage and resilience against a much larger country.

"President Putin: stop this war now, withdraw your forces, this is an unprovoked attack," he said in Wollongong on Friday.

"No one is threatening Russia. No one is threatening Russia's sovereignty. There is no need for you to continue this war."

Since the invasion began, Australia has donated almost $700 million in support, $510 million of which is military-related.

It includes 90 Bushmasters, 28 armoured vehicles, anti-armour weapons and howitzers and ammunition.

The first 200 Ukrainian recruits have also graduated from military training run by Australian and British soldiers in the UK.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said Ukraine would be one of Australia's great friends and allies long into the future.

"(The support) needs to continue. It does come at a cost. But there is a huge cost of inaction as well," he told Sky News.

Canberra has also put more than 1000 sanctions on Russian and Belarusian politicians, generals and oligarchs as part of an international effort to strangle their economies and ability to fund the war.

This includes new listings against one of Russia's largest arms manufacturers, a submarine developer, an aviation company and a missile designer.

Mr Myroshnychenko warned President Putin was relying on the world becoming tired of the war and easing pressure on him.

"Justice is very important. We can't leave those crimes against humanity, war crimes, crimes of aggression, it cannot be left unpunished," he said.

Meanwhile, China has called for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia and the opening of peace talks as part of a 12-point proposal to end the conflict.

The plan issued by China's foreign ministry also urges the end of western sanctions on Russia, the establishment of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of civilians and steps to ensure the export of grain.

Australia joined 140 other member states to support a resolution calling for a just peace in Ukraine at an emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly overnight, but China abstained.

with Associated Press

© AAP 2023

Australia will provide drones to Ukraine to aid Kyiv in its fight against Russia to mark one year since the invasion.

The $33 million package will help intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

A further suite of financial sanctions and travel bans will also be rolled out against 90 people and 40 entities.

This includes new listings against one of Russia's largest arms manufacturers, a submarine developer, aviation company and missile designer.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia mourned alongside Ukraine for the "incalculable losses" the nation had endured.

"One year on from Russia's unprovoked, unjustified and unlawful full-scale invasion, the costs of Russia's aggression are incalculable," he said.

"In the face of Russia's aggression, the Ukrainian people - led so resolutely by President Zelenskiy - have displayed extraordinary strength and courage.

"We continue to stand with Ukraine."

Ukraine's ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has called for a step-up in support to dispel the Russian invasion on the one-year anniversary of the conflict.

In an address to the National Press Club, Mr Myroshnychenko will outline a pivot from the focus on defending Ukraine in 2022 to encouraging nations to be part of a "mutual victory for democracy over authoritarianism" in 2023.

"Ukraine will win due to a step-up in strength with its allies, such as Australia," he will say in his speech on Friday.

He also thanked the Australian government for the hundreds of millions of dollars given in humanitarian and military aid, saying it had helped Kyiv take back some 50 per cent of recently occupied territories.

"It is the ANZAC spirit and Australian mateship for Ukraine on wheels, wheels that roll toward mutual victory," he will say.

"The more Aussie mateship, the faster Ukraine's and democracy's victory."

Australia has donated almost $700 million in support, $510 million of which is military-related.

It includes 90 Bushmasters, 28 armoured vehicles, anti-armour weapons and howitzers and ammunition.

The new announcement also coincides with the first 200 Ukrainian recruits graduating from military training provided by Australian and British soldiers in the UK.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said Ukraine would be one of Australia's great friends and allies long into the future.

He said while Australia couldn't provide the same level of support as bigger nations such as the United States, it was important to continue assisting as much as possible.

"We have to be sensible about what we can afford ... for us its an important statement of principal and standing up for our values," he told Sky News.

"(The support) needs to continue. It does come at a cost. But there is a huge cost of inaction as well."

Canberra has also slapped over 1000 sanctions on Russian and Belarusian politicians, generals and oligarchs as part of an international effort to strangle their economies and ability to fund the war.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said targeted sanctions reflect Australia's support for the people of Ukraine and for the "fundamental norms of sovereignty and territorial integrity".

Australia joined 140 other member states to support a resolution calling for a just peace in Ukraine at an Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly overnight.

© AAP 2023

A hive of foreign spies busted by Australia's intelligence agency in the past year was reportedly linked to Russia.

Nine newspapers on Friday cited unnamed sources as saying the spies posed as diplomats and had been operating for more than 18 months in multiple locations, including the Russian embassy in Canberra.

They were reportedly trying to recruit Australians with access to classified information and steal data.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, who held the defence portfolio under the previous coalition government, said many countries were looking at Australia.

"The ASIO director-general hasn't confirmed the nationality of this ring," he told Sky News on Friday.

"I don't think it would come as a surprise to anyone that certain countries are involved in those (espionage) activities on a daily basis.

"It's not just Russia and China but many other countries trying to work out their opportunities in Australia."

Despite the report, Trade Minister Don Farrell rejected calls for the Russian ambassador to Australia to be expelled.

"If you expel the Russian ambassador, then you have no mechanism of communicating our displeasure with the decisions that the Russian government are taking," he told ABC Radio on Friday.

"These are operational matters, of course, and they're not the sort of matters that we will discuss publicly."

In his annual threat assessment delivered earlier this week, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation chief said intelligence officers uncovered a group of spies and had them removed from the country.

Director-General Mike Burgess said the "hive" was working undercover, and some of the spies had been put in place years earlier.

Proxies and agents were recruited as part of a wider network.

"Among other malicious activities, they wanted to steal sensitive information," Mr Burgess said on Tuesday.

"We watched them. We mapped their activities. We mounted an intense and sustained campaign of operational activity.

"We confronted them. And, working with our partners, we removed them from this country, privately and professionally. The hive is history."

Senator Farrell said he was confident in leaving the matter in the hands of the director-general.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said the speech by the ASIO boss earlier this week showed the dangers being faced by the country.

"The events following (the speech) show that our country has never faced more sophisticated and difficult foreign interference threats than we do right now," Senator Watt told Sky News.

"That's exactly why we're putting in place with ASIO the kind of mechanisms to keep Australian information and Australian people safe."

© AAP 2023