The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing sanctions against 20 individuals and 21 entities connected to Russia's military-industrial complex and against 19 individuals and 4 entities in the Russian cultural and education sectors. These sanctions are part of the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations and target persons who are complicit in Russia's ongoing violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Canada is sanctioning Russian individuals and entities connected to private military companies and so-called volunteer organizations that support Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. This includes Wagner Group figureheads who have been active in both Ukraine and Africa, including Ivan Maslov, the head of the Wagner Group branch who contributed to the massacre of civilians that took place in Moura, Mali, in March 2022.
In coordination with its international partners, Canada, through its sanctions, is also targeting leaders in Russia's nuclear sector to increase pressure on the Kremlin's reckless actions in Ukraine that have significantly increased the risk of a nuclear incident, particularly at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The sanctions also target a number of Russian persons involved in the Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicle development, manufacturing and supply chain.
Canada is also sanctioning persons who support the Kremlin's efforts to Russify Ukraine's culture. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Kremlin has repeatedly used Russian celebrities to promote its so-called special military operation in the country through music, concerts and other events. These sanctions target Russian singers, actors and filmmakers, as well as entities and senior officials in Russia's cultural sector, such as the Minister of Culture and the leaders of major museums, and are in direct response to these efforts to impose Russian culture and education in the parts of Ukraine currently under Russia's temporary occupation.
With these sanctions, Canada reaffirms its unwavering commitment to supporting Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence against the Kremlin's brutal war of aggression.
