US sanctions 5 Russia

Apparent arms transfers between North Korea and Russia are seen in this undated file photo provided by the U.S. government. Yonhap

The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on five Russia-based individuals and entities in connection with arms transfers between North Korea and Russia, the Treasury Department said, in the latest effort to disrupt and expose their military transactions.

The department's Office of Foreign Assets Control slapped sanctions on two Russian individuals and three Russia-based entities for facilitating the transfers between the two countries, which it has criticized as a violation of multiple U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolutions banning arms trade with Pyongyang.

The two individuals are Aleksey Budnev and Rafael Anatolyevich Gazaryan, it said. The companies are Trans Kapital Limited Liability Company, Rafort Limited Liability Company and Tekhnologiya, OOO.

The department stressed that the sanctions demonstrate the U.S.' "resolve" to impose costs on and hold the North and Russia to account for their "unlawful" activities.

"Today's action reflects our commitment to disrupt the DPRK's deepening military cooperation with Russia," Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"The United States will continue to take action to hold accountable those who seek to facilitate the shipment of weapons and other materiel to enable Russia's war," the official added.

In a separate statement, Matthew Miller, the spokesperson for the State Department, said the sanctions measure highlights the U.S.' opposition to the arms transfers and deepening defense cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow.

"Russia has already used upwards of 40 DPRK-produced ballistic missiles against Ukraine, as well as munitions, which Moscow imported in direct contravention of UNSC resolutions on the DPRK," Miller said.

He added that the deepening ties between the two countries pose a "wide-ranging threat to global security and the international non-proliferation regime."

"We will continue to take all appropriate steps to counter the destabilizing Russia-DPRK partnership and call on others in the international community to join us," he said. (Yonhap)