Canada announces it will impose additional sanctions on Russian and Belarusian regimes
News release
April 4, 2022 - Helsinki, Finland - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada intends to impose new sanctions under the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations and the Special Economic Measures (Belarus) Regulations in response to the Russian regime’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine and the Belarusian regime’s support of it.
The upcoming measures will impose restrictions on nine Russian and nine Belarusian individuals for having facilitated and enabled violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. These individuals are close associates of the Russian and Belarusian regimes.
Adding to several actions taken by Canada to support Ukraine and its people, these measures demonstrate that Canada will not relent in holding Vladimir Putin and his enablers accountable for their egregious and illegal actions.
What the world witnessed this weekend in Bucha is abhorrent. Canada will not stand by as the senseless murder of innocent civilians by Russian forces in Ukraine continues. We will not spare any effort to ensure that violations of international law in Ukraine are investigated and that perpetrators are held to account. Canada continues to work with its international partners to uphold the rules-based international order and push for a full investigation into the reports of war crimes in Bucha and elsewhere in Ukraine, including by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Canada strongly condemns President Putin’s unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine and stands in firm support of Ukraine and its people. Canada continues to monitor the situation and explore options for new measures to further weaken the Russian regime’s ability to wage war.
Quotes
“By enabling Vladimir Putin’s senseless invasion of Ukraine, these close collaborators of the regime are complicit in the horrific events unfolding before our eyes. Canada continues to stand with the brave people of Ukraine fighting for their freedom, and we will not stop pressuring the Russian regime until its troops have left Ukrainian soil. The atrocities must end.”
- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Quick facts
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Since Russia’s illegal occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014, Canada has sanctioned more than 1,000 individuals and entities, with many of those sanctions undertaken in coordination with allies and partners. Canada’s latest sanctions will impose asset freezes and prohibitions on listed persons.
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Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Canada has sanctioned more than 700 individuals and entities from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
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Canada has referred the situation in Ukraine to the ICC in concert with other ICC member states as a result of numerous allegations of the commission of serious international crimes in Ukraine by Russian forces, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Associated links
Contacts
Adrien Blanchard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Adrien.blanchard@international.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca
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