WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Department of the Treasury on Tuesday announced sanctions on several individuals and entities over their involvement in actions against the U.S. sanction measures on Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

In an announcement, the Treasury targeted two entities and two Russian individuals "in order to counter attempts to evade U.S. sanctions."

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

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

As a result of the sanctions, all property and interests of the designated persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons 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 U.S. sanctions on the DPRK.

They were accused of involvement in ship-to-ship transfer of refined petroleum products with DPRK-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 the DPRK is achieved, said Mnuchin.

The new moves are the latest among a series of the Trump administration's actions against Russia's alleged "threatening" activities against the United States.

In response to U.S. escalating actions, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill which allows him to respond to sanctions by the United States and other "unfriendly states."

Under the new law, foreign entities could be prohibited from providing services for Russia's central and local governments, conducting trade with Russian counterparts, or participating in the privatization of Russian properties.