The Australian government has slapped additional sanctions on Russian banks and government entities, which control most of the country’s banking assets and its sovereign debt. The March 18 announcement by Foreign Minister Marise Payne will see the Russian Wealth Fund and Ministry of Finance placed under sanctions, both entities are responsible for issuing and managing the country’s sovereign debt. While the following banks Sberbank, Gazprombank, VEB, VTB, Rosselkhozbank, Sovcombank, Novikombank, Alfa-Bank, and Credit Bank of Moscow were all sanctioned and account for around 80 percent of Russia’s banking assets. “The Australian government is deeply committed to imposing high costs on Russia,” Senator Payne said in a statement. “This includes by listing individuals of economic and strategic significance to Russia who have supported, and benefited from, the Putin regime.” “We are also continuing to increase sanctions pressure on the oligarchs close to Vladimir Putin,” she said. “In addition to the 41 …