The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday on a network of five groups and one person for enabling payments between Russia and North Korea to support Moscow's war in Ukraine and Pyongyang's weapons programs,

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.

North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile in what would be it second such barrage this month, as Kim Jong Un’s regime intensifies a threat to expand its nuclear weapons program.