Australian government extends sanctions to Russian oligarchs Oleg Deripaska and Viktor Vekselberg

The Australian government has imposed sanctions on two Russian oligarchs who have assets in the country, after facing questions about why they were omitted from an earlier round of economic measures triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Oleg Deripaska, who has a stake in an alumina refinery in Gladstone, Queensland, run by Rio Tinto, and Viktor Vekselberg, who has an interest in a gas project in the Beetaloo basin in the Northern Territory, were not among 41 oligarchs and family members hit with sanctions by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday.