On April 27, the federal government announced new restrictions — asset freezes and prohibitions — under the Special Economic Measures (Ukraine) Regulations targeting 11 named senior officials and 192 other named members “of the People’s Councils of the so-called Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics.”
The latest sanctions, responding to what Ottawa called the Russian government’s “blatant violation of international law” in attempting to annex certain areas of Donbas, came into force April 26.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
The government disclosed this week its plan to enact measures in the federal budget bill to enable the forfeiture and redirection of the frozen assets of those sanctioned for complicity in Russia’s invasion and regime, for the support of Ukraine.
Asked whether the government fears lawsuits from those whose assets are seized, Trudeau replied, in French: “It’s not a question of being afraid, it’s a question of seeing how we can do this in a way that is effective, responsible, but also respectful of the ... rule of law and the system of international law, which Putin himself violated, but which we defend by our actions and by our struggle against” him.
In a statement April 27, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said “Canada will not stand idly by and watch President [Vladimir] Putin and his accomplices attempt to redraw the borders of Ukraine with impunity. International law must be respected. Canada is using every tool at its disposal to ensure that the rules-based international order is upheld and that those complicit in violations of international law answer for their crimes.”
The government said that since Russia’s illegal occupation and attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 1,400 individuals and entities — with many moves co-ordinated with other countries.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, Canada has imposed sanctions on nearly 1,000 individuals and entities from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, the global affairs department said.
Last month Canada referred the situation in Ukraine to the International Criminal Court (ICC), in concert with other ICC member states, in light of the numerous allegations of serious international crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, including war crimes and crimes against humanity.
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