Russia says relations 'on the verge of being severed' as Ottawa seizes cargo plane

Moscow is warning that relations with Canada are 'on the verge of being severed' after the federal Liberal government moved to forfeit a massive Russian cargo plane.

Moscow is warning that relations with Canada are "on the verge of being severed" after the federal Liberal government moved to forfeit a massive Russian cargo plane.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Ukraine on the weekend, where he announced that Canada officially seized an airplane that had been sitting on the tarmac at Toronto's Pearson International Airport since February 2022.

"We perceive this act as cynical and shameless theft," Russia's foreign ministry said in an English-language statement posted Tuesday.

A year ago, Canada became the first G7 country to enact a law that allows Ottawa to not just seize assets held by sanctioned people, but to forfeit the money and have it diverted to victims of a sanctioned regime.

The law remains unused, but Trudeau said Ottawa plans to begin a process to either transfer the plane to Ukraine or sell it for money that would support the country's recovery.

"We're going to do it as quickly as possible, but I can tell you the Ukrainians are very pleased that the path has started," Trudeau said Saturday during an unannounced visit to Kyiv.

The Russian-registered Antonov AN-124 is owned by the firm Volga-Dneper, which Canada sanctioned in April. It is one of the largest aircraft in the world, and Ottawa fears Russia could use it to deliver military supplies in its invasion of Ukraine.