Canada imposes sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet, energy revenues; Moscow retaliates with travel bans
Overview of Recent Sanctions and Diplomatic Tensions
Canada’s New Sanctions Target Russia’s Economy and Disinformation Efforts
June 16 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new sanctions targeting Russia’s shadow fleet, energy revenues, its defense-industrial sector and entities linked to disinformation efforts, the Canadian government said on Tuesday.
Sanctioned Entities and International Cooperation
A government statement, issued after Carney's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy alongside the G7 summit in France, also included the New Zealand company Maritime Mutual in a list of companies and individuals sanctioned.
Background on Maritime Mutual
The company was the subject of a Reuters special report on how it helped facilitate the trade of tens of billions of dollars of Iranian and Russian oil, in a list of companies and individuals sanctioned.
In February, Britain sanctioned the company, saying it had supported the Russian government by carrying out business in a sector of strategic importance.
Russia’s Response: Travel Bans and Official Statements
The Russian Foreign Ministry responded by issuing a list of 103 Canadian citizens it said were barred from entering the country, including members of parliament, government and parliamentary officials.
Official Rationale and Future Actions
A ministry statement said those on the list had engaged in activities aimed at "discrediting the constitutional system and the foreign policy course of our country".
It said Russia "will not accept the hostile line of the current political elite" and pledged to "continue to respond appropriately to Ottawa's provocative actions, be it direct encouragement of the Kyiv junta to commit terrorist acts or interference in Russia's internal affairs".
(Reporting by Susan Heavey and Maria Cheng;Editing by Alison Williams, Sanjeev Miglani and Ron Popeski)