Toronto (Canada), October 17 (EFE).- Canada on Monday sanctioned the Russian government television channel TV Zvezda and 34 people it accuses of participating in a “disinformation and propaganda” campaign promoted by the Russian President , Vladimir Poutine. , as part of the invasion of Ukraine.

Among those sanctioned are popular TV presenter Dmitry Guberniev, actor Vladimir Mashkov, director of the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper, Pável Gúsev; and Vladimir Medinsky, former Minister of Culture and head of the Russian delegation who, at the start of the conflict, negotiated with Ukraine to stop the war.

For its part, TV Zvezda is the television channel of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly announced the new round of Canadian sanctions against Russia during a visit to Ottawa by Evgenia Kara-Murza, wife of Russian opponent Vladimir Kara-Murzá.

Kara-Murzá, coordinator of the Open Russia foundation and who is imprisoned in his country accused of treason for criticizing the war, was honored last week with the Václav Havel Prize for Human Rights 2022, awarded by the Council from Europe.

Joly said in a statement that the war in Ukraine “depends on the lies and deceit” of the Putin government, which “silences and imprisons” Russian citizens who dare to speak the truth.

“As the number of human rights abuses committed by Russia continues to rise, Canada is taking action to counter the propaganda that attempts to excuse them,” added Joly.

The sanctions freeze the Canadian assets of listed individuals and prevent Canadian financial institutions from providing services to them.

Since Russia illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, Canada has imposed sanctions against more than 1,800 Russian entities.