Star Metro - EU sanctions Chinese firms, N. Korea minister over Ukraine war

It has also added North Korea's defence minister to its sanctions blacklist after the secretive state sent troops to Russia to reinforce its military.

The move -- part of the EU's 15th round of sanctions over the conflict -- represented a heightened effort to tackle the crucial role allegedly being played by China in keeping Russia's war machine going.

The EU said it was blacklisting four Chinese companies for "supplying sensitive drone components and microelectronic components" to the Russian military.

Two other firms and one Chinese businesswoman were hit for circumventing EU sanctions aimed at stopping equipment flowing to Moscow.

Among the companies was Xiamen Limbach alleged to have supplied engines for long-range attack drones used by Russia against Ukraine.

The EU has targeted Chinese firms before for supporting Russia's military.

But until now the bloc has imposed bans on European firms doing business with the Chinese companies -- rather than the tougher sanctions now being applied.

The EU also took aim at North Korea in the latest package, after Pyongyang dispatched troops to Russia to fight Ukraine.

The 27-nation bloc added defence minister No Kwang Chol and deputy chief of the general staff Kim Yong Bok to a number of North Korean officials already blacklisted.

Ukraine said Monday that its troops killed or wounded at least 30 North Korean soldiers who had been deployed in Russia's western Kursk region, where Ukraine has seized territory.

In a bid to limit Russian revenues, the EU included around 50 oil tankers from Moscow's "shadow fleet" used to help the Kremlin get around Western oil sanctions.

G.Boudreau--SMC