OTTAWA – Canada announces new sanctions against the regime in power in Russia and additional support for Ukraine.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also unveiled plans on Tuesday to create a task force to counter Russian disinformation and propaganda as officials mark Moscow’s six-month invasion of Ukraine this week.

The prime minister announced the initiative as part of a package of new Canadian measures aimed at supporting Ukraine and punishing Russia for starting a war that has killed tens of thousands and whose effects are being felt around the world.

At the virtual summit of the International Platform for Crimea’s leaders, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau clarified that Canada is imposing new measures on 62 close allies of the Russian regime and a defense sector entity he says is close to that of Russia led invasion is complicit in Ukraine.

Among the sanctions are senior Russian government officials, including federal governors and regional heads, their family members and senior officials from defense sector entities currently under sanctions. A Russian company whose products include anti-drone equipment is also being targeted.

The Prime Minister also announced $3.85 million in funding to support two Ukrainian projects under the Stabilization and Peacekeeping Operations Program.

A total of approximately $2.9 million of this amount will provide additional funding for the Canada-Ukraine Police Development Project, including training to help Ukraine’s police force better manage cases of sexual trauma and mental health programs. And around $950,000 will be spent to advance reform goals under the Technical Knowledge and Skills Sharing Project.

Trudeau presented the program at a special meeting of leaders from countries that have supported Ukraine since Russian forces invaded on February 24, sparking the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II.

Theoretically intended to discuss Russia’s illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in 2014, the meeting also took place as Ukrainians prepared to mark Wednesday the anniversary of their country’s independence, which was screwed up by the Soviet Union in 1991.

In a video conference call from Toronto with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is on a three-day visit to Canada, Trudeau accused Russia of falsely blaming Western sanctions for escalating food prices and shortages around the world.

While Russian officials blame the food crisis on sanctions imposed in response to Ukraine’s invasion, Canada and its allies say Moscow is responsible for disrupting Ukraine’s food production and essential exports.

“I want to reiterate that there are no penalties for food. When the Russian regime blames the sanctions for the world food crisis, it is giving in to misinformation,” criticized Mr. Trudeau.

Canada intends to continue its fight against what it calls state-sponsored Russian disinformation by establishing a specialized team that will help improve its ability to understand, monitor and uncover this disinformation. The initiative should also enable closer international cooperation.

“We must continue to fight against Russian disinformation. For this reason, Canada will assemble a dedicated team to enhance our ability to monitor and uncover disinformation from Russia and other countries,” Trudeau said.

He did not provide any further details in his short speech at the meeting, which also included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, and his cabinet referred questions to the office of Foreign Minister Melanie Joly.

Ms Joly’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the formation of this team.

The government has already called on various federal agencies, including the Department of Defense and the Communications Security Establishment, to publicly denounce what it sees as Russian disinformation and propaganda.

Chancellor Scholz reiterated Mr Trudeau’s claim that the invasion of Russia was “responsible for deteriorating food security, with grave consequences for people around the world”. He reiterated his country’s continued support for Ukraine.

Meanwhile, sentiment intensified in Ukraine on Tuesday over warnings that Russia may seek to spoil the country’s Independence Day and mark the six-month-old moment of war with increased attacks.

The United States reinforced these concerns with a security alert, stating that it has “information that Russia is intensifying efforts to launch strikes against civilian infrastructure and government facilities in Ukraine in the coming days.”

Kiev authorities have banned mass gatherings in the capital until Thursday amid fears of rocket attacks on Independence Day, and President Zelenskyy warned over the weekend that Russia “might be trying to do something particularly mean, something particularly cruel.”

However, Mr Zelensky on Tuesday emphasized defiance rather than concern as he raised the national flag at a monument on the eve of Independence Day.

At another event, Mr. Zelenskyi appeared to downplay the threats, saying that all he expected was increased intensity and no new targets, adding: “Nobody wants to die, but nobody is afraid of Russia, and that’s the most important sign .”