Russia is ready to buy assets of sanctioned companies - Siluanov

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) - Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on Thursday Russia is prepared to buy the assets of sanctions-hit companies that are held as collateral by foreign banks.

"The state is not going to stand aside here and it will help companies that have fallen into a difficult financial situation," Siluanov said at an economic forum in St Petersburg.

(Reporting by Darya Korsunskaya; Writing by Tom Balmforth)