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Canada Sanctions Streit Group Over Armored Vehicles Used by Russia’s National Guard
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Canada imposed sanctions on Streit Group, a United Arab Emirates-based armored-vehicle manufacturer, on August 10, citing reports that vehicles produced by the company have been used by Russia's National Guard in the war against Ukraine.
Anita Anand, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced the measure under the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations, according to a statement Global Affairs Canada published on its website on August 10.
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The ministry cited "multiple credible reports" confirming that armored vehicles the company manufactured have been used by Russia's National Guard (Rosgvardia).
Global Affairs Canada characterized Streit Group as having a history of supplying Russian entities with defense products, and stated the sanctions were intended to hinder its ability to provide military technology and equipment to Russia. The listing freezes the company out of dealings governed by Canada's Russia sanctions regime.
Streit Group, headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, was founded in 1992 by Guerman Goutorov, a Russian-born Canadian businessman. He began by importing American armored cash-transport vehicles into Russia before moving to lightly armored trucks built on civilian platforms. Its best-known models include the Spartan, based on the Ford F-550; the Cougar, on the Toyota Land Cruiser 79; and the Cobra, on the Land Cruiser 200. The company acquired a license to produce Russia's GAZ-2330 Tigr in 2018.
Footage circulating on Russian channels in October 2024 showed several Streit Group armored vehicles, including Spartan, Cobra, and Cougar models, apparently in Russian possession. The vehicles were filmed in desert camouflage, while reference images show the corresponding Streit models in their original configurations.
Streit Group had already faced sanctions over its dealings with Russia, after Ukraine added the company to its national sanctions list in December 2023.
The Canadian listing arrived amid a broader tightening of Western pressure on Russia's defense sector. Days earlier, on August 7, the European Union added five individuals linked to Russia's military-industrial complex to its sanctions list, a step it framed as a response to a wave of Russian airstrikes on Ukraine.
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