In an interview with Russian state media, Oleg Stepanov denounced that Canada’s foreign ministry often published negative news about the war in Ukraine.
He was particularly critical of a recent series of publications about Russian men fleeing military service.
If there is no real diplomacy, capacity or desire on the Canadian side to deal with serious problems for Russia, they turn on the megaphone Twitter, Mr Stepanov told state news agency RIA Novosti in Russian last week.
He added that Canada appears to be leading efforts by western countries to isolate Russia.
Meanwhile, the governments of Georgia and Kazakhstan, Russia’s neighbors, have reported an increase in the number of newcomers to their countries.
The ambassador argued that Russians had no choice but to protect their country and assured that history would separate the wheat from the chaff.
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Close relationships
Relations between Ottawa and Moscow have been strained since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began last February.
Moscow began mobilizing men with no military experience in September, dismissing statements by the governments of Georgia and Kazakhstan about a later increase in numbers from neighboring Russia.
Last week, Global Affairs Canada tweeted a message saying the mobilization targeted ethnic minorities, sparking protests and causing thousands of Russian citizens to flee.
In a rejoinder, Mr. Stepanov called the citizens who fled Russia cowards. He said real Russians stand up for their country regardless of their political views. He argued that there was no moral alternative to defending the national army.
Earlier this month, Moscow summoned Canada’s ambassador to Russia in response to Canada’s five summonses to Stepanov this year.
The convocation of an ambassador is usually a rare event in which countries undertake to formally oppose either a policy of the foreign country in question or the conduct of their diplomatic mission.
series of summonses
Ottawa first called Stepanov shortly after the February invasion, then after the April massacre in the city of Bucha, followed by the October bombings in central Kyiv.
The fourth subpoena came after the embassy tweeted anti-LGBTQ news in November and again this month because it argued that the 1930s famine in Ukraine, known as the Holodomor, was not the result of Soviet policies.
Russia retaliated this month, inviting Canadian Ambassador Alison LeClaire for what the Russian Foreign Ministry described as numerous unwarranted subpoenas from Stepanov to Ottawa.
The five subpoenas go far beyond normal diplomatic practice, the ministry argued in a Dec. 9 press release.
Moscow previously subpoenaed Ms LeClaire in September after allegations that Global Affairs Canada failed to take seriously incidents involving the Ottawa Embassy, including security video of a Molotov cocktail being thrown on the mission field.
The two countries say they want to maintain certain diplomatic ties, but Ottawa has decided to no longer cooperate with Moscow on many issues.