As part of the Special Economic Measures (Ukraine) Regulations, the Honorable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs for Canada, announced today that Canada will be imposing further sanctions against a total of 24 individuals and 17 entities located in Ukraine. These brand-new measures are a direct response to Russia’s efforts to destroy cultural sites, institutions, and the identity of the Ukrainian people.
Besides extensive damage as well as destruction of several of Ukraine’s cultural sites, thousands of Ukrainian cultural artefacts have been found missing or are believed to have been stolen by Russian forces in the temporarily occupied territories since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and before that, during the attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014. These events have occurred since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and, prior to that, during the attempted annexation of Crimea in 2014. According to reports, Russia has attempted to obliterate Ukraine’s identity by illegally exporting items from Ukraine and damaging cultural heritage sites. This was done in an effort to obtain these goals.
In response to the Kremlin’s efforts to “Russify” Ukraine’s culture, Canada has decided to impose sanctions on individuals who are involved in Russia’s theft of cultural artefacts from Ukraine. This decision was made public today. On the list of people who are going to be sanctioned are Ukrainians who work at museums and other cultural centres that interact with Russia. It also includes newly established entities in temporarily seized parts of Ukraine, such as the so-called ministries of education and culture, as well as individuals and entities associated to private military firms that began in Ukraine and are fighting for Russia. These “ministries” comprise both Ukrainian and Russian personnel.
These penalties will impose additional expenses on the so-called authorities in areas of Ukraine that are unlawfully taken by Russian forces in order to defend Ukrainian culture and identity. This is because Russia is attempting to forcibly impose its culture and education on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
With these sanctions, Canada reaffirms its unwavering commitment to supporting the people of Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression, and it will continue to increase pressure on Russia and Ukrainians who collaborate with Russian administrations in Ukraine until they put an end to these unjustifiable attacks. Canada will also continue to support the people of Ukraine against Russia’s war of aggression.
Since Russia began its unlawful takeover of Crimea and attempted annexation of the region in 2014, Canada has placed sanctions on over 2,500 persons and businesses in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova. These penalties target the Russian Federation, Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova. The majority of these penalties have been implemented in conjunction with Canada’s friends and allies as well as its business partners.
Since January 2022, Canada has pledged about $8 billion to Ukraine in the form of financial, military, humanitarian, development, and immigration support.
As a direct response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Canada has placed sanctions on over 2,000 persons and entities from and within the countries of Russia, Belarus, and Moldova. These individuals and entities come from and are located within these countries.
While Russia was withdrawing from the Kherson region and the territories surrounding it, Ukrainian prosecutors and museum administrators have stated that Russia stole more than 15,000 works of fine art and one-of-a-kind antiques. The final quantity of objects that were taken is not yet known. In addition, it has been alleged that museums in the temporarily seized city of Mariupol had 2,000 objects of art taken from them.
