Canada announces more sanctions on 14 Russian entities

OTTAWA, Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced additional economic sanctions and travel bans on three Russians and 14 Russian entities, as well as an import/export ban covering "illegally-occupied" Crimea.

"Until there is real peace, until occupying forces are withdrawn, and until Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty is restored, there must be ongoing consequences for President [Vladimir] Putin’s regime," Harper said in a statement issued late Monday.

“Our government is, therefore, announcing additional sanctions and travel bans against Russian individuals, and economic sanctions against Russian entities, as well as a Crimean import/export ban," it said.

It also said that these further sanctions were being taken in coordination with Canada's partners.

“We stand with our partners in calling on President Putin to end his invasion of Eastern Ukraine, to withdraw his soldiers, tanks and heavy weapons, and to cease providing military aid to insurgents."

“We support current efforts for a diplomatic solution and call for Russia and its proxies to fully implement their commitments under the Minsk agreements,” the statement added.

The companies added to the blacklist include the Russian energy giants Gazprom, Gazprom Neft, Surgutneftegas and Transneft as well as the Night Wolves Motorcycle Club.

Also, Alexander Dugin, Pavel Kanishchev and Andrei Kovalenko, who are leaders of the Eurasian Youth Union group, belonging to the pro-Russia separatists, were hit with the travel bans to Canada.

Despite a cease-fire agreement signed in Belarus' capital Minsk on Feb. 12, fighting has gone on continuously in the eastern region of Ukraine, according to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.