UK freezes assets of Russia's VEB, Sovcombank and Otkritie, planning restrictions against Sberbank

LONDON. Feb 28 (Interfax) - Britain has imposed an asset freeze on Russian state development bank VEB, on Sovcombank and on Oktritie, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said.

"I will be imposing a full asset freeze on three further banks: VEB, Russia's national development bank, Sovcombank, the third largest privately owned financial institution in Russia, and Otkritie, one of Russia's largest commercial banks," Truss told parliament.

Truss said she was bringing forward legislation to prevent Russian banks clearing payments in sterling, which would be applied to Sberbank when it came into force.