Canada expands list of sanctions against Russia

KYIV, May 13 /Ukrinform/. Canada has imposed additional sanctions on 12 citizens of Russia and Ukraine, reads a statement made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

In particular, Canada announced sanctions against an additional six Russian and six Ukrainian individuals who have facilitated Russia's violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The prime minister also said that Russia's illegal occupation of Ukraine and provocative military activity remains a serious concern to the international community.

The expanded sanctions list includes Valery Gerasimov (Chief of General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces), Igor Girkin ("Strelok," Russian saboteur, the leader of terrorists in eastern Ukraine), Sergei Menyaylo (acting governor of Sevastopol), Sergei Neverov and Lyudmila Shevtsova (State Duma vice-speakers), Oleg Savelyev (Russian Minister for Crimea) , Olga Kovatidi (a Federation Council member from Crimea) and another five representatives of the self-proclaimed republics and militias in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

As reported, on April 29, the Canadian government approved another list of sanctions against Russia, which included nine Russian politicians and businessmen, as well as two Russian credit organizations. On May 4, Harper announced economic sanctions against 16 Russian companies.

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