13 Russian Officials Sanctioned

Summary#

These are final regulations that add 13 people to the list of sanctioned individuals under the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations. The measures, registered and in force on June 13, 2024, block dealings with the listed people and make them inadmissible to Canada.

What it does#

• Adds 13 named individuals (senior officials or high‑ranking employees in Russian investigation, penitentiary and police services) to Schedule 1 of the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations. The Canada Gazette lists the full names.
• Prohibits anyone in Canada or any Canadian outside Canada from:
  • dealing in the property of the listed persons;
  • entering into transactions with them;
  • providing services to them;
  • transferring property to them; or
  • otherwise making goods or services available to them.
• As a result of being listed, the individuals are made inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
• Listed people can apply to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to ask for their names to be removed from the list.
• Enforcement and penalties noted include fines and prison terms: up to $25,000, up to one year on summary conviction, or up to five years on indictment.

Who's affected#

• The primary targets are the 13 Russian officials added to Schedule 1 (names are in the Gazette notice).
• Canadian banks and other financial institutions, which must update their sanctions screening and block prohibited dealings.
• Canadian businesses and people who might have dealings with those specific individuals (the government says the new names have limited links to Canada).
• Enforcement agencies such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Canada Border Services Agency, which can investigate and enforce breaches.

Why it matters#

• These measures are Canada’s targeted response to what the government describes as gross and systematic human rights violations linked to the case of Alexei Navalny.
• They stop the named individuals from using Canadian financial services or property ties, and they bar them from entering Canada.
• For most Canadians the effect should be small because the government says the listed people have limited ties to Canada. Banks and some businesses will still need to update compliance systems.
• The move aligns Canada with allied countries that have taken similar steps and sends a diplomatic signal of pressure on Russian officials.