The US expanded full blocking sanctions on Wednesday against Russia’s state lender Sberbank and one of the country’s largest private lenders, Alfa Bank. “Today, we’re dramatically escalating the financial shock by imposing full blocking sanctions on Russia’s largest financial institution, Sberbank, and its largest private bank, Alfa Bank,” a senior administration official told reporters.

Russia has paid foreign holders of Eurobonds in rubles for the first time after an attempt to settle the $649.2 million payment was rejected by a foreign financial institution under orders from Washington, the Russian Ministry of Finance announced on Wednesday.

A group of advisers to Seoul’s president-elect visited the US to talk about the redeployment of US military might, Reuters claims A group of advisers to South Korea’s president-elect, Yoon Suk-yeol, have met US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in a bid to strengthen “deterrence” by securing an enhanced US presence on the Korean Peninsula.…