SYDNEY, March 18 (Reuters) – Australia imposed sanctions on Friday on two Russian oligarchs with hyperlinks to its mining trade, certainly one of them a billionaire with an funding connection to Rio Tinto’s Gladstone alumina refinery three way partnership.
Overseas Minister Marise Payne mentioned Australia was working in shut cooperation with worldwide companions to extend sanctions stress on oligarchs near Russian President Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.
“Australia has now added two billionaires with hyperlinks to enterprise pursuits in Australia, Oleg Deripaska and Viktor Vekselberg,” Payne mentioned in a press release.
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The measures are along with curbs on 41 oligarchs and fast members of the family who already face focused monetary sanctions and journey bans, she mentioned.
Payne mentioned the federal government welcomed Australian corporations taking a principled stand with strikes to chop ties with Russia “in protest of Moscow’s unlawful, indefensible warfare in opposition to Ukraine”.
Russia says it’s finishing up “a particular navy operation” to cease the Ukrainian authorities from committing “genocide” – an accusation the West calls a fabrication.
Vekselberg is an investor within the Russian power sector, who has pursuits in an organization working with Origin Power on a fuel venture within the Beetaloo Basin within the Northern Territory.
Origin mentioned it was looking for clarification on the sanctions from the Australian authorities, and informed Reuters the Beetaloo Basin venture was not a producing asset and had no earnings.
“Origin reiterates that it’s appalled by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and can adjust to all Australian guidelines and legal guidelines,” Origin mentioned in a press release.
It mentioned Vekselberg owned Lamesa Holdings, which was a minority shareholder in Falcon Oil & Gasoline, the mother or father firm of Origin’s junior companion within the Beetaloo Basin.
“Neither Lamesa Holdings nor Mr Vekselberg are a celebration to the Beetaloo Basin three way partnership. They haven’t any function in, involvement or dealings with, Origin or the Beetaloo Basin three way partnership,” it mentioned.
Large Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon the influence of the sanctions on Deripaska, who holds 44.9% of EN+ Group, a Russian aluminium and energy group.
EN+ Group is the main shareholder in Russian firm Rusal, which has a 20% share within the Queensland Alumina Restricted (QAL) refinery in Gladstone, in a three way partnership with Rio Tinto.
Rio Tinto beforehand mentioned it was slicing ties with Rusal as a part of its general withdrawal from Russia.
Queensland Alumina Ltd didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Deripaska diminished his controlling stake in EN+ Group from 70% in 2019 – to raise a previous spherical of U.S. sanctions from the main aluminium producer.
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Reporting by Kirsty Needham and Renju Jose; Enhancing by Jacqueline Wong
