2 years ago
OTTAWA, Ont. — Canada is imposing new sanctions on dozens of military entities in Russia and five individuals close to President Vladimir Putin, including oligarch Roman Abramovich.
“[We’re] demonstrating clear and deep consequences for Putin and those who have enabled his regime,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday as he announced the measures.
Trudeau, who completed a six-day European tour Friday, added that Canada and its allies are looking for more ways to push back against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
The individuals targeted will no longer be able to profit or benefit from business dealings in Canada. They will also have their assets frozen.
Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Britain’s Chelsea soccer club, owns a stake in the Evraz steelmaker, which has a North American subsidiary that employs 1,800 people in Canada and 1,400 in the United States.
“We are obviously going to watch carefully, but we are confident that this will not impact the hard-working Canadians who are doing good work in companies across the country, including that one,” said Trudeau, who added that Abramovich has a stake of just under 30 percent in Evraz.
In addition to Abramovich, the Canadian slapped measures on Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, Ella Pamfilova, chair of Russia’s Central Election Commission, Elena Morozova, who presided over the trial of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, and Igor Yanchuk, who heads the police department that arrested Navalny.
Trudeau also announced new restrictions on 32 military entities in Russia, actions that will prevent them from receiving Canadian equipment or supplies.
The moves are Canada's latest effort to strike back at Putin for the war in Ukraine.
In recent weeks, the Trudeau government has also fired off volleys of sanctions against Putin himself, members of his inner circle, Russian lawmakers and figures in the Belarusian regime.
Canada’s announcement Friday came a day after the United Kingdom sanctioned Abramovich and six other Russian oligarchs.
Earlier Friday, Evraz announced the resignation of every member of its 10-person board of directors after the U.K.’s suspension of trading of the company’s shares on the London Stock Exchange.
“EVRAZ is deeply concerned and saddened by the Ukraine-Russia conflict and hopes that a peaceful resolution will be found soon,” the company said in a statement.
The British government’s official announcement Thursday said Evraz “is or has been involved in providing financial services, or making available funds, economic resources, goods or technology that could contribute to destabilising Ukraine or undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine.”
The notice also said the company could potentially be supplying steel to the Russian military which may have been used in the production of tanks.
Later Friday, the Canadian government took additional steps to try to isolate Russia.
In a statement, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne asked Canadian research and science organizations that are run by the government or receive federal funding to avoid entering into agreements with Russian research institutions.
Champagne specifically instructed Canada's three research granting agencies — the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada — to stay away from any deals with Russian organizations.
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