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ABC News
ABC News
National

Meet the Russians Australia is sanctioning following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine

The federal government has also flagged it will sanction Russian President Vladimir Putin. (Reuters: Sputnik/Mikhail Metzel)

In the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the Australian government has stepped up its sanctions against Russia, including a number of businesspeople with close ties to President Vladimir Putin.

The eight affected oligarchs all have ties to Russia's banks, or defence and resources industries, and are considered to be part of Putin's inner circle.

The government has flagged it will continue to follow the lead of the United States and United Kingdom by "ratcheting up" penalties for individuals and businesses in Russia - including the President himself.

Here's a quick guide to who Australia has targeted so far.

1. Denis Aleksandrovich Bortnikov

Denis Bortnikov is the deputy president and board chairman of Russia's state-owned VTB Bank.

While Australia has not imposed sanctions on VTB Bank, the UK and the US, along with several other nations have.

Bortnikov's senior management position on the state-owned bank means he runs in elite circles close to Putin.

Bortnikov is also the son of Alekandr Bortnikov, who is the director of Russia's Federal Security Service, the FSB.

2. Vladimir Sergeevich Kiriyenko

Vladimir Kiriyenko is currently the CEO of VK Group — one of Russia's biggest internet companies.

According to Reuters, a stake in VK was sold to a company headed up by a long-time ally of Putin.

VK Group runs a number of services, including social media sites.

Kiriyenko is also the son of Sergei Kiriyenko, who works closely with the Russian President as his first deputy chief of staff in the presidential office.

According to the US government, Sergei Kiriyenko is Putin's domestic policy curator.

3. Elena Aleksandrovna Georgieva 

Elena Georgieva is the chair of the board of Novikombank. (Supplied: Novikombank)

Elena Georgieva is the only woman on the most recent list of sanctioned people.

She is currently the chair of the board of Novikombank, which is not one of the banks currently sanctioned by the federal government.

On its website, the bank describes itself as one that is focused on helping the Russian economy.

"Among the bank's customers are high-tech companies from the machine-building, oil and gas, and aeronautical engineering industries," it says.

According to British officials, however, the bank is a "state-owned defence conglomerate".

4. Petr Mikhailovich Fradkov

Petr Mikhailovich Fradkov is currently the chairman and CEO of Promsvyazbank and general director of the Russian Export Center.

The bank he heads up was targeted in the Australian government's first round of sanctions, announced last week.

The 44-year-old has spent his career working for different financial institutions in Russia.

According to the US Treasury, Fradkov has spent the past four years focusing Promsvyazbank's investments on servicing Russia's defence industry and supporting state defence contracts.

Through that role he has had a number of one-on-one meetings with Putin.

5. Igor Arkadyevich Rotenberg

Igor Rotenberg is a Russian billionaire and currently the chairman of the board of directors of National Telematic Systems.

He was actually added to the US's sanctions list in 2018 because of his ties to Russia's energy industry through his father, Arkady Rotenberg.

Igor's father sold him 79 per cent of his oil and gas drilling company, giving him control over the business.

Arkady Rotenberg is also reportedly a close personal friend of Putin.

6. Yury Borisovich Slyusar

Yury Slyusar is the general director of the United Aircraft Corporation — a partly Russian-government-owned defence company.

According to the company's website, the 48-year-old studied law at Moscow State University.

He later worked as an assistant to the Russian minister for industry and trade, was the director of the government's Aviation Industry Department and in 2012 became the deputy minister of industry and trade.

Yury Slyusar is the general director of the United Aircraft Corporation. (Supplied: Russian Federation)

7. Kirill Nikolayevich Shamalov

Kirill Shamalov is the deputy chairman of SIBUR’s management board.

SIBUR is one of Russia's biggest petrochemical companies and, according to Forbes, Shamalov is one of Russia's youngest billionaires.

But potentially his biggest claim to fame is being Putin's previous son-in-law, after marrying his daughter, Katerina.

Shamalov's father, Nikolai, also has long and close ties to Putin.

8. Igor Ivanovich Sechin 

Igor Sechin is currently the CEO, president and chairman at Rosneft, which is Russia's biggest — and one of the world's biggest — oil companies.

Significantly wealthy, Sechin is considered a close ally of Putin's and was the deputy prime minister of Russia from 2008 until 2012.

The US sanctioned Sechin in 2014 following Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea.

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