The sanctions apply to two Russian individuals and three Russian companies and are designed to disrupt arms shipments between the two countries, a statement by the U.S. Treasury Department said.

“Today’s action reflects our commitment to disrupt the DPRK’s [North Korea] deepening military cooperation with Russia,” Brian Nelson, Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, was quoted in the statement as saying. "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 Treasury Department explained that Russia and North Korea had forged closer ties over the last year with the latter providing ballistic missiles and munitions to the former for use in its war in Ukraine.

The announcement came as Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, which saw the two heads of state deepen their countries’ ‘strategic partnership.’