Toronto, Mar 30 (Sputnik): Ottawa’s latest round of anti-Russian sanctions are based on lies, distortion of history and are “absolutely futile,” the Russian Embassy in Canada said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, Global Affairs Canada announced that Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau imposed sanctions on two Russian executives and four entities in response to the decision of the Crimean people to rejoin Russia.
“The latest anti-Russian sanctions on Crimea – based on lies, historical revisionism and disregard for reality – are absolutely futile and contradict not only international law, but also humanitarian principles,” the Russian Embassy said
The diplomatic mission added that the Crimean rail infrastructure targeted by Canadian sanctions will continue to serve the country and the people in spite of efforts by “Western patrons” of the regime in Kiev.
The Embassy emphasized that despite a brief 23-year stint within Ukraine’s borders, Crimea is a Russian territory and has been an integral part of the country for centuries. The diplomatic mission noted that visitors to the peninsula have witnessed its development and defense of human rights.
The latest round of anti-Russian sanctions come less than a week after Ottawa imposed sanctions on nine senior Russian officials in line with similar measures taken earlier by the United States and the European Union over the case of opposition blogger Alexey Navalny.
In the aftermath of the sanctions announced on March 24, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova blamed Canada’s ruling elite for reducing bilateral relations with Russia to historic lows and vowed that the Russian response will be tough and shortly forthcoming.
Impacted by Monday’s sanctions are Aleksandr Ganov, the head of the Crimean Railway, which was also included in the latest sanctions package, and Leonid Ryzhenkin, General Director of the Mostotrest, which built the Crimean Bridge.
The latest round of anti-Russian sanctions also targets First Crimean Insurance Company, JSC Lenpromtransproyekt and JSC “The Berkakit-Tommot-Yakutsk Railway Line’s Construction Directorate.”
Crimea rejoined Russia on March 16, 2014, after over 95 percent of voters backed the move in a referendum, which followed a violent power change in Ukraine. Two days later, an agreement on Crimea’s accession to the Russian Federation was signed.(UNI)