Canada hits more Russians with sanctions

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - Canada imposed new sanctions on individuals including billionaire Roman Abramovich and barred 32 Russian companies from receiving defense equipment, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said.

Trudeau made the announcement in Poland before returning to Canada from an 11-day trip during which he visited allied countries that are punishing Russian President Vladimir Putin for his military operation against Ukraine.

“This is part of us moving together with allies around the world on demonstrating clear and deep consequence for Putin and those who have enabled his regime,” he told reporters on Friday.

The prime minister also said that the Canadian government will match dollar-for-dollar up to CAN$20 million (US$15.7 million) to the Red Cross for relief aid to the embattled Ukraine. That is in addition to the CAN$30 million (US$23.5 million) already announced. The money will go to neighboring countries that are providing a refuge for Ukrainians fleeing the war.

“Over the past days, I have been on the ground in Moldova and Romania with partners such as Save the Children and the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) seeing the humanitarian assistance that they provide," Trudeau said.

"The people of Moldova and Romania have shown great compassion to their neighbors. I have heard from these organizations about the needs of those impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has disproportionally impacted women and children. This $50 million worth of assistance will help those partners in providing critical and life-saving assistance."

The new sanctions announced are on 32 companies involved in the Russian defense sector and on "five current and former Russian senior officials and associates of the regime who are complicit in President Putin's choice to invade a peaceful and sovereign country," said a news release Friday from the Canadian government and obtained by Anadolu Agency.

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is one of the five individuals hit with sanctions. Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who is sitting in a Russian prison, named Abramovich as the top Russian who should be sanctioned. Abramovich has a high-profile as owner of England's Chelsea Football Club.

Trudeau also said he was forced to tell Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy face-to-face that NATO would not honor the request to create a no-fly zone over Ukraine because it could serve to escalate and spread the war.