The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing additional sanctions on 77 individuals and 39 entities under the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations. Canada is also implementing sanctions on the trade of almost 1,000 new items with Russia, listing an additional 201 vessels and imposing new prohibitions on listed vessels to further constrain the activities of vessels that are part of Russia's shadow fleet.
This is one of Canada's most important sanctions announcements since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, comprising its biggest-ever package of vessel- and trade-related sanctions. Canada is announcing these sanctions following the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, where leaders met to discuss some of the world's most pressing issues, including ways to bolster support for Ukraine and ramp up pressure on Russia.
The new export restrictions include goods related to the production of chemical and biological weapons as well as industrial goods and advanced sensitive technologies with dual-use applications. New import restrictions apply to coal, metals and a variety of other goods through which Russia gains revenue from exporting overseas.
The ship-related sanctions are upgraded to prohibit the provision of any services related to already-listed vessels, and Canada is listing an additional 201 vessels, meaning that Canada now sanctions over 300 Russia-linked vessels involved in the movement of oil, liquefied natural gas, arms and other items for the benefit of Russia.
In addition to the exports and ship-related sanctions, Canada is sanctioning 3 financial entities who directly support the Kremlin in moving funds in and out of Russia to pay for arms and other war-related material, upgrading its sanctions on Surgutneftegas, a major Russian oil and gas company, and sanctioning 15 additional individuals and entities that enable Russia's shadow fleet to conduct its activities.
Canada is also sanctioning 3 individuals and 14 entities involved in the development of the quantum sector in Russia, a sensitive technology that can have various dual-use military applications and be leveraged by the Kremlin to bolster its military. These measures will limit the capabilities of this technology within the Russian military-industrial complex and its application in future aggression.
Canada is also imposing sanctions on 29 individuals and 6 entities that have benefited from the war, including some of the wealthiest Russian industrialists, senior government officials and persons involved in the confiscation and redistribution of property and assets of foreign companies in Russia as punishment for their criticism of its unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine.
The list of sanctioned individuals also includes 45 people identified by the Anti-Corruption Foundation. It includes government and private-sector actors who provide direct and indirect support to Russia's military-industrial complex and disinformation efforts to enable its illegal aggression toward Ukraine.
