US sanctions against Russia’s oil major Rosneft are not new, they existed earlier, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told TASS on Friday.

"I cannot comment on the issue. They /sanctions against Rosneft - TASS/ are not new, they existed earlier," the Minister said.

On July 30, the US Finance Ministry extended its sanction list adding a number of Russian companies, including 35 affiliates of the VEB development bank and Rosneft, including Russian Direct Investment Fund, Globex bank, Eximbank of Russia and Achinsk oil refinery.

VEB and Rosneft are already under the US sanctions, which do not allow them and their subsidiaries to raise financing on the US market for over 30-days period.