April 15 (UPI) -- The United States and Canada each separately unsheathed nearly two dozen Belarus-related sanctions on Monday, as the North American allies target the European nation over its support of Russia in its war against Ukraine and Minsk's crackdown on opposition to its 2020 presidential election.

Canada has issued a fresh set of sanctions aimed against important members of the Belarusian government, marking a significant diplomatic step up in reaction to the country’s continued breaches of human rights.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly accused the West of trying to topple him after mass protests against his rule erupted in 2020 after the election. Lukashenko said he had won fairly, while conducting a sweeping crackdown on his opponents.

The latest sanctions package targets entities that profit from Russia's war in Ukraine, including a state-owned machine tool building company, a radio communications firm, and a software development company.

The United States has acted decisively amid rising tensions stoked by Russia’s military aggressiveness in Ukraine and the ongoing backing provided by the Lukashenka dictatorship in Belarus. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has implemented a series of robust economic sanctions aimed at compelling Russia to cease its aggression and address the humanitarian crisis in

OTTAWA — Canada is imposing more sanctions on officials in Belarus as the country's exiled opposition leader visits Ottawa. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has laid sanctions on 21 people accused on human-rights violations in Belarus since its 2020 presidential election,