Announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Aug. 23, the measures that came into force Aug. 19 target named, high-ranking Russian government officials, such as Russian federal governors and regional heads and their family members, and senior officials of currently sanctioned defence-sector entities, for their complicity in the Russian regime’s illegal aggression against Ukraine.
“We will continue to work together with our partners and allies to continue standing up for, and defending, peace, security, human rights, and the rule of law,” Trudeau said in a prepared statement.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
The Canadian government said Concern Avtomatika is being sanctioned “for enabling and supporting Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.”
Trudeau also said Canada is working to counter Russian state-sponsored disinformation. This includes “creating a dedicated team to help increase Canada’s capacity to understand, monitor, and detect Russian and other state-sponsored disinformation and enable deeper international collaboration,” including through the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism and its German-led working group “focused on the threat of subnational foreign interference at community, municipal and regional levels,” a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office states.
Trudeau also announced a total of $3.85 million in funding for two Ukraine projects.
The first allocates approximately $2.9 million in additional funding for the Canada-Ukraine Police Development Project, implemented by Alinea International, that is providing targeted support to the National Police of Ukraine (NPU) and Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and State Emergency Services, including the provision of essential equipment and supplies. That support is also being provided to improve police responses to cases of conflict-related sexual violence and expand psychological peer support for police.
Another $950,000 is going to the “Promoting Reform Objectives through Technical Expertise and Capacity Transfer” project, implemented by Alinea International, focusing on providing technical advice and support to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence to help it counter Russia’s aggression.
According to Global Affairs Canada, since Russia’s illegal occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 1,750 individuals and entities.
Since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 1,300 additional individuals and entities from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
The federal government says that it has committed over $3.4 billion in support to Ukraine this year, including $1.95 billion in direct financial assistance that has been fully disbursed to Ukraine, and $455 million in international assistance.
Since February 2022, Canada has committed or delivered $626 million in military aid, including the complete allocation of $500 million in military support for Ukraine that was announced in this year’s federal budget.
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