The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced the closure “on a permanent basis” of entry to the country for 28 Canadian citizens, whom the Russian Foreign Ministry has accused of promoting “neo-Nazi ideology”.
As the context of the statement suggests, this refers to activities in support of Ukraine – it is claimed that the people on the list are involved in “pro-Banderite structures and organisations” and are also linked to Canada’s “rabid Ukronazi community”.
Russia’s actions are described in a Foreign Ministry statement as “counter-sanctions” and a response to Canada’s earlier restrictive measures.
The decision on sanctions, judging by the Foreign Ministry’s statement, is related to the appointment of former Canadian foreign minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland as an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on economic development. The appointment became known on 5 January. The Russian Foreign Ministry believes that this personnel decision allegedly “whitens the crimes of Ukrainian Nazis from the 14th SS Division Halychyna”.
As Moscow has consistently pointed out, Freeland’s grandfather was Ukrainian journalist Mykhailo Khomyak, who published a Nazi-loyal newspaper in Krakow during World War II and later emigrated to Canada. Khomyak had nothing to do with the Galicia Division.
The list also includes the head of the Canadian NATO association Robert Baines, the head of the board of directors of the Ukrainian National Foundation, Viktoriya Karpyak, representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada, scientists researching the Holodomor and activists of organisations that raise funds to help Ukraine. Canada has not yet reacted to the Russian authorities’ decision.