Agencies: The Russian ambassador to Canada, Oleg Stepanov, described the new Canadian sanctions package against Russia as silly and ineffective. Stepanov said: "The sanctions are another empty symbolic gesture linked to the arrival of a representative of the Kyiv regime."

He confirmed that these sanctions would have no consequences for Russians and local companies. He added: "It is clear that the staff at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office are going through a qualitative crisis: they somehow want to bite Russia, but it is not succeeding.

Hence these silly and ineffective sanctions appear." Ottawa earlier yesterday imposed sanctions on 14 individuals and 34 companies from Russia, on the occasion of Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal's visit to Canada.