Canada puts sanctions on two small Russian banks

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada imposed sanctions on Monday on two small Russian banks and nine individuals. The two banks are ExpoBank, listed last year as the 103rd biggest Russian bank by assets, and RosEnergoBank, which in 2012 had income of $4.24 million and assets of $1.01 billion, according to Moody's Investors Service last year. "The illegal occupation of Ukraine continues and Russia's military aggression persists. That is why we are imposing sanctions against an additional nine individuals and two entities today," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement announcing the measures. "Until Russia clearly demonstrates its respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Canada will continue to work with its allies and like-minded countries to apply pressure that will further isolate Russia economically and politically." The United States announced sanctions on 17 companies and seven Russians on Monday. Canada's list of nine included five on the U.S. list from Tuesday: Vyaecheslav Volodin, Dmitry Kozak, Aleksey Pushkov, Oleg Evgenyevich Belaventsev and Evgeniy Alexsevevich Morov. The spellings are as provided by Harper's office. The others are Vladimir Volfovich Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia; Alexander Mikhailovich Babakov, whom Harper's office listed as Chairman of the State Duma Commission on Legislative Provisions for Development of the Military-Industrial Complex of the Russian Federation; and businessmen Arkady and Boris Rotenberg. (Reporting by Randall Palmer; Editing by James Dalgleish, Chizu Nomiyama and Andre Grenon)