Canada has sanctioned nine more individuals and six television stations involved in actions to destabilize Moldova and to facilitate Russia's war in Ukraine.
The new restrictions, announced on October 17, target individuals who have links with Moldovan oligarchs Vlad Plahotniuc, a fugitive one-time leader of the Democratic Party who has been linked to the disappearance of $1 billion from Moldovan banks, and Moscow-friendly Ilan Shor, a self-exiled businessman accused by the West and the Moldovan government of trying to destabilize the country through his now-outlawed Shor Party.
Those included on the sanctions list have been banned from doing business in Canada and had all their assets there frozen.
Both Plahotniuc and Shor were already placed on Ottawa's sanctions list in June together with several other people and the Shor Party -- all accused of promoting Russia's interests in Moldova, a former Soviet republic that has been struggling for decades to shake off Moscow's influence.
Also in June, the United States imposed sanctions on seven members of a Russian influence group linked to Shor for their role in Moscow's campaign to destabilize Moldova and instigate an insurrection.
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The six TV stations slapped with Canadian restrictions are Primul In Moldova, RTR Moldova, Accent TV, NTV Moldova, TV6, and Orhei TV. The six outlets have already had their licenses revoked by Chisinau for "disinformation in Russia's interest."
Plahotniuc is thought to live in Cyprus while Shor has fled to Israel following the election of Moldova's pro-Western President Maia Sandu election in 2020.
From abroad, Shor has organized months of anti-government protests with the aim of toppling Sandu and the reformist government that has been critical of Russia's war in Ukraine.