The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the permanent ban of entry to 28 Canadian citizens who work in organizations promoting “pro-Bandera” activities. This decision was made public on January 5.
According to the ministry, these individuals propagate criminal neo-Nazi ideology associated with the Kiev regime and ignore historical facts regarding the Great Patriotic War. They seek to strengthen Canada’s ties with radical nationalist forces in Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Ministry pointed to the recent appointment of former Canadian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystie Freeland as an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as evidence of this trend. The ministry stated that her grandfather, Mikhailo Khomyak, was a “Hitler henchman,” and described the appointment as devaluing the crimes of the Ukrainian Nazis.
On November 20, 2025—the anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials—the Russian Defense Ministry highlighted concerns over Western efforts to obscure historical truths about World War II. The ministry noted that Soviet records from the tribunal indicated a potential shift in focus from prosecuting Nazis to revising history.
Sergei Naryshkin, director of the Federal Intelligence Service, stated that the Nuremberg Tribunal remains relevant due to “metastases” of neo-Nazism in Ukraine and Europe. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that military tribunals for neo-Nazis would be established following the conclusion of the conflict in Ukraine.
