Restrictions have effectively led to Russia increasing its sovereignty, the president has said Western countries are damaging their own economies when they limit Russia’s ability to use their currencies through multiple sanctions, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday.

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The government has tacitly authorized trade with Moscow in a number of sensitive sectors, news outlet Le Devoir reports Canada has issued more than a dozen special permits allowing companies to circumvent sanctions imposed on Russia over the Ukraine conflict, news outlet Le Devoir reported on Tuesday, citing federal data on international trade.