Canada sending heavy artillery to Ukraine, imposing sanctions on Putin's daughters

The government has announced a round of new sanctions targeting individuals with ties to the Russian government — including President Vladimir Putin's daughters — and plans to send heavy artillery to Ukraine as Russian forces step up their attacks in the country's eastern regions.

Katerina Tikhonova and Maria Vorontsova, Putin's adult daughters, are among 14 individuals being added to Canada's sanctions list. The U.S. and the U.K. made similar announcements earlier this month.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a press conference in New Brunswick on Tuesday that Canada will send heavy artillery to support Ukrainian forces.

"We've been in close contact with President (Volodymyr) Zelensky since the very beginning and we're very responsive to what it is that they need most specifically," Trudeau said. "Their most recent request from Canada is to help them with heavy artillery, because that's what the phase of the war is in right now."

WATCH: Trudeau says Canada will soon send heavily artillery to Ukraine

Trudeau says Canada will soon send heavily artillery to Ukraine

3 years ago

Duration 2:07

During an event in New Brunswick, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Canadian government will send heavier artillery to Ukraine, with details to be announced in a few days. Trudeau also announced new sanctions against the Russian regime.

The federal budget tabled earlier this month earmarked $500 million for military aid to Ukraine. Last week, Defence Minister Anita Anand said a portion of that aid will come from current inventory but the rest will need to be purchased.

Trudeau said Tuesday that more details about the heavy artillery shipment will be released in "the coming days."

On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden held a call with allied leaders, including Prime Minister Trudeau, to discuss the ongoing war and measures to hold Russia accountable.

Maria Lavrova, the wife of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, was also named in the latest round of sanctions.

Russia has ratcheted up its battle for control of Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland, intensifying its assaults on cities and towns along a front hundreds of kilometres long in what officials on both sides have described as a new phase of the war.

After a Russian push to the capital failed to overrun the city, the Kremlin declared that its main goal would be the capture of the eastern Donbas region. If successful, that offensive would give President Putin a vital piece of Ukraine and a victory that he could present to the Russian people as justification for the mounting casualties and economic sanctions brought on by Russia's invasion on Feb. 24.

In recent weeks, Russian forces withdrew from Kyiv and regrouped in preparation for an all-out offensive in the Donbas. Moscow-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian forces in the region for the past eight years and have declared two independent republics that have been recognized by Russia.

WATCH: Ukrainian MP says Canadian financial aid hasn't arrived yet

Canada’s financial support for Ukraine not getting there as quickly as it’s needed, says Ukrainian MP

3 years ago

Duration 7:37

"Canada announced a huge support of around $500 million for military support for Ukraine. But, unfortunately nothing has been purchased yet or delivered yet." Ukrainian MP Oleksandra Ustinova says by comparison, the U.S. delivered arms just days after promising to do so.