Canada has significantly expanded sanctions against Russian propagandists involved in spreading disinformation about the Russian war in Ukraine. This was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Melanie Joly.

“The Russian regime’s war depends on lies and deception. It muzzles and imprisons its own citizens who dare speak the truth. As the number of Russian human rights abuses continues to increase, Canada is taking measures to counter the propaganda that attempts to excuse them. We see through the lies. Canada stands with Ukraine”, - Joly said.

The ministry clarified that the restrictive measures will affect 34 Russian individuals and a legal entity “complicit in the dissemination of Russian disinformation and propaganda”.

The Russian Defense Ministry’s TV channel Zvezda, actors Sergey Bezrukov and Volodymyr Mashkov, TV presenter Tina Kandelaki, and a number of other high-profile figures came under Canadian sanctions.

“These individuals and entity help assist the Russian regime in undermining the principles of state sovereignty and are responsible for spreading false narratives that serve as pretexts for the Russian regime’s unjustifiable war”, - the Canadian Foreign Ministry emphasized.