US sanctions individuals, entities over Russia, N.Korea ties

The US Treasury Department has announced sanctions on several individuals and entities over their involvement with Russia and North Korea.

In an announcement on Tuesday, the Treasury targeted two entities and two Russian individuals "in order to counter attempts to evade US sanctions", reports Xinhua news agency.

They were accused of providing assistance for a sanctioned Russian entity.

"The Treasury Department is disrupting Russian efforts to circumvent our sanctions," said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests of the designated persons subject to US jurisdiction are blocked and Americans are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.

In another separate announcement, the Treasury targeted two entities and six vessels for violating the UN and US sanctions on North Korea.

They were accused of involvement in ship-to-ship transfer of refined petroleum products with North -flagged vessels, an activity prohibited by the UN Security Council.

"Consequences for violating these sanctions will remain in place" until the final and fully verified denuclearization of North Korea is achieved, said Mnuchin.

The new moves are the latest among a series of President Donald Trump's administration's actions against Russia's alleged "threatening" activities against the US. - IANS