Canada imposes additional sanctions against Russia

OTTAWA, July 20 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly announced Thursday that Canada is imposing additional military and culture sanctions against Russia.

These sanctions target 20 individuals and 21 entities connected to Russia's military-industrial complex as well as 19 individuals and four entities in the Russian cultural and education sectors, the minister said in a news release.

According to the release, Canada is sanctioning Russian individuals and entities connected to private military companies which include Wagner Group figureheads who have been active in both Ukraine and Africa. Canada has already listed the Wagner Group and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Canada is also targeting leaders in Russia's nuclear sector and a number of Russian persons involved in the Orlan-10 unmanned aerial vehicle development, manufacturing and supply chain, the release said.

In addition, these sanctions target Russian singers, actors and filmmakers, as well as entities and senior officials in Russia's cultural sector, such as the minister of culture and the leaders of major museums, the release said.

Since 2014, Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 2,600 individuals and entities in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova.