Canada announces additional sanctions against Russia’s military and nuclear sectors

From: Global Affairs Canada

News release

August 23, 2023 – Ottawa, Canada - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing additional sanctions against 4 individuals and 29 entities that have direct ties to Russia’s military-industrial complex, as well as to its financial and nuclear sectors. These sanctions are part of the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations and target those who are complicit in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Today’s sanctions also include a Russian Armed Forces Colonel who was a commander of the fifty-third anti-aircraft missile brigade, which is associated with the downing of Malaysia Airline’s MH17 flight on July 17, 2014, while it was flying over eastern Ukraine. The companies being sanctioned are responsible for developing products for both civil and military use, such as aviation, marine, and special nuclear equipment. The companies include Promtekhnologiya LLC, which produced weapons that were used by the Wagner Private Military Company during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Canada is also imposing sanctions on financial entities previously sanctioned by its G7 allies and directly associated with the Putin regime.

Building upon sanctions announced in July 2023 targeting Russia’s nuclear sector, and in coordination with its like-minded partners, Canada is also targeting additional persons in this sector, including in state-owned companies. The new nuclear-related targets comprise subsidiaries of ROSATOM, including companies that are part of Russia’s nuclear weapons complex, and the export agency that sells Russian nuclear technology abroad. Canada’s sanctions seek to constrain Russia’s recklessness in this sector and complement Canada’s efforts at the International Atomic Energy Agency, which seek to hold Russia to account for its disregard for international standards developed to ensure nuclear safety and security.

Canada has worked in coordination with the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia to ensure that we are aligned in targeting Russia’s nuclear sector and will continue to do so to increase pressure on Russia and its decision-making bodies to cease its ongoing violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Quotes

“Canada continues to condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. We will continue to work with our partners, including the G7, to undermine Russia’s ability to conduct its military aggression against Ukraine and to impose further costs on those who support the Russian regime.”

- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick facts

  • Since 2014, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 2,600 individuals and entities in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova that are complicit in the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Many of these sanctions have been undertaken in coordination with Canada’s allies and partners.

  • Since January 2022, Canada has committed more than $8.9 billion to financial, military, humanitarian, development and immigration assistance for Ukraine.

  • Canada has already listed several individuals connected to the Russian nuclear sector, including members of ROSATOM’s supervisory and management boards.

  • Russia’s ongoing seizure of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, led by ROSATOM, poses serious ongoing risks of a nuclear accident that could have devastating consequences in the region.

Associated links

Contacts

Emily Williams
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Emily.Williams@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca
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