Canada announced the addition of nine Russians and nine Belarusians to its list of people under sanctions in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine on Monday, days after the bodies of civilians were discovered in and around the town of Bucha.
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Global Affairs Canada describes the targeted individuals as “close partners of the Russian and Belarusian regimes” who allegedly “facilitated and enabled the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence”.
Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie, passing through Helsinki, Finland, states that the goal has always been to continue to “isolate” Russia on the international scene economically and diplomatically.
In addition to hundreds of individuals, sanctions imposed by Canada, the United States, and European countries also affect Russian and Belarusian companies, whether or not they are state-affiliated.
Earlier today, Vladimir Putin issued a decree ending some visa privileges for government officials and journalists on the list of “enemy” countries, including Canada.
In the wake of possible war crimes committed in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Secretary Jolie and several of her allied counterparts have referred the situation to the International Criminal Court.
“It is absolutely essential to ensure that the investigation of the International Criminal Court takes place as quickly as possible, because it goes without saying that there are crimes being committed as we speak and the investigation is taking place the sooner, the sooner we can prevent these crimes, perhaps, from continuing to commit them.”
Ms Jolie said Canada was providing “more support” and “more resources” to the court to speed up the investigation.
