Canada is providing Ukraine with an additional $500 million in military assistance and is adding the names of 23 Russians to its sanctions list, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, on Monday.
“This additional military assistance will support Ukrainians as they bravely continue to fight against Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion, while these new sanctions will put added pressure on those who support these acts of war,” Trudeau said in a statement.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said the sanctions were targeting those responsible for the persecution of Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was jailed and charged for spreading misinformation about the Russian military.
The 23 individuals being added to the sanctions list are members of the Russian justice and security apparatus that the Prime Minister’s Office says were directly involved in “systematic human rights violations against Russian opposition leaders.”
More than 1,400 Russian individuals and entities have now been sanctioned by Canada since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.
Canada hails Ukraine’s ‘incredible progress’
The federal government said the $500 million in aid will be used for military, surveillance, communications equipment, fuel and medical supplies.
Minister of National Defence Anita said that the money is part of more than $1 billion in military aid that Canada has committed to Ukraine for military equipment as well as for the training of Ukrainian troops.
“Ukraine’s military has made incredible progress reclaiming ground and Canada’s military contributions have been integral in their counter-offensive to date,” she said in a statement.
“The $500 million in new military aid announced today will ensure that we continue to meet Ukraine’s military momentum with the military aid that it needs to fight and win.”
The Prime Minister’s Office said that so far, Canada has committed $3.4 billion in assistance to Ukraine since February.
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