UPDATE 1-Charter aircraft carrying Russian nationals held at Canadian airport - minister

A charter aircraft carrying Russian foreign nationals has been held at the Yellowknife airport in Canada's Northwest Territories, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said in a tweet on Thursday. "We will continue to hold Russia accountable for its invasion of Ukraine," Alghabra said in the tweet, without providing more details.

A charter aircraft carrying Russian foreign nationals has been held at the Yellowknife airport in Canada's Northwest Territories, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said in a tweet on Thursday.

"We will continue to hold Russia accountable for its invasion of Ukraine," Alghabra said in the tweet, without providing more details. Ottawa has announced a set of sanctions and other measures against Russia after Moscow launched an invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. It has closed its airspace and ports to Russian vessels, sent lethal military aid to Ukraine, and asked the International Criminal Court to probe alleged war crimes by Russian forces.

A plane carrying Russian civilians en route to the High Arctic was grounded in Yellowknife on Tuesday, CBC news reported Wednesday, citing a minister from Canada's Northwest Territories. "It appears that the plane and its passengers were on their way to Resolute, Nunavut, with the intention of taking a planned Arctic overland expedition in a large all-terrain utility vehicle," CBC quoted Northwest Territories' Infrastructure Minister Diane Archie as saying.

Canada's transport ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.