U.S. adds VTB, two other banks to Russia sanctions list

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday slapped sanctions on VTB, the Bank of Moscow, the Russian Agriculture Bank and the United Shipbuilding Corp over Moscow's support for separatists in eastern Ukraine, the Treasury Department said. That expands the list of Russian banks subject to U.S. sanctions to almost all the largest banks with state ownership of over 50 percent, except for Sberbank. The sanctions on the three banks prohibit U.S. citizens or companies from dealing with debt carrying maturities longer than 90 days, or with new equity. The sanctions on the shipbuilding company, based on St. Petersburg, freeze any assets it may hold in the United States and prohibits all U.S. transactions with it. (Reporting by Anna Yukhananov; Editing by Peter Cooney)