Canada sanctions 203 Putin's supporters in eastern Ukraine

Canada on Wednesday imposed sanctions on 203 individuals who it said are loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin in eastern Ukraine, saying it is using every tool to hold Moscow accountable for international crimes.

“Canada will not stand by idly and watch President Putin and his accomplices attempt to redraw the borders of Ukraine with impunity,” Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement. “International law must be respected. Canada is using every tool at its disposal to ensure that the rules-based international order is upheld and that those complicit in violations of international law answer for their crimes.”

The federal government is also introducing new legislation to give Ottawa the power to sell off already sanctioned items confiscated from foreign entities, a clear move to strip Putin and friends of assets held outside Russia.

“We are seeking the capacity to not only seize but to allow for the forfeiture of the assets of sanctioned individuals and entities and to allow us to compensate victims with the proceeds,” Joly said.

The sanctions announced Wednesday are against the People's Councils of the Luhansk and Donetsk areas as retribution for support of Putin's military operations in Ukraine.

They include 11 senior officials as well as 192 members of the councils.

Since Putin sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, the total number of people sanctioned reached 1,000. It also adds up to 1,400 sanctions since the annexation of Ukraine by Russia in 2014.

“Already, sanctions are crippling Russia's economy and are depleting the resources Putin has to continue his illegal war,” Joly said in a statement on Tuesday. “We will continue to apply maximum pressure on the Putin regime and impose severe costs for this war of choice.”