Canadian embassy in Ukraine has closed, staff fled to Poland in face of Russian invasion: source
CBC
The relocated Canadian embassy in Lviv has closed and staff have fled Ukraine as the Russian attack on Ukraine that began early Thursday continues, according to a source.
The source, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said staff have crossed the border into neighbouring Poland.
Canada moved its embassy earlier this month from the capital, Kyiv, to Lviv in the western part of the country in anticipation of a Russian invasion.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine and called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw all military forces from the country.
"Canada condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia's egregious attack on Ukraine," Trudeau said in a statement late Wednesday.
"These unprovoked actions are a clear further violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. They are also in violation of Russia's obligations under international law and the Charter of the United Nations."
The prime minister is meeting Thursday morning with G7 partners and said he would work quickly with NATO and Canada's allies "to collectively respond to these reckless and dangerous acts, including by imposing significant sanctions in addition to those already announced."
Trudeau said Wednesday Russia's actions will be met with more severe consequences.
"Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected and the Ukrainian people must be free to determine their own future," he said.
On Monday, Trudeau announced a new round of sanctions on Russia and ordered the deployment of another 460 Canadian Armed Forces personnel — army, navy and air force — to join NATO's mission in eastern Europe to reassure allies bordering Russia.
Trudeau said Wednesday Russia's actions will be met with more severe consequences.
Bob Rae, Canada's ambassador to the United Nations, called the attack "a grotesque war crime."
"Putin is the cause of all this. We cannot let him win," Rae said on Twitter. "C'mon people, stop pretending. War has started."
Rae went on to call what is happening "brutal thuggery."
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