The United States has blacklisted a network accused of aiding financial payments between Russia and North Korea, two isolated countries that have grown financially and militarily closer amid the Kremlin's war in Ukraine.

The U.S. has placed sanctions on a network of five groups and one individual in Russia and South Ossetia for facilitating illicit payments between Russia and North Korea. This move aims to curtail North Korea's WMD programs and Russia's unlawful activities in Ukraine.

The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on a network of five groups and one person, based in Russia and the Georgian region of South Ossetia, for enabling payments between Russia and North Korea,