Refined oil in quantities higher than those foreseen by the United Nations sanctions is being sent – and indeed “quietly” – by Russia to North Korea, a US official told Reuters. He added that the US plans to respond with new sanctions.

The revelation comes just a day after a UN panel of experts monitoring the implementation of UN sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear weapons and ballistic programs was suspended as a result of a Russian veto.

“While Moscow was vetoing the group’s renewal, Russia was shipping refined oil from the Vostochny Port to North Korea. The country has already received more than the 500-barrel ceiling set by the UN Security Council,” the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

According to him, only in March Russia sent more than 165 thousand barrels of refined oil to North Korea, while he estimated that given the proximity of the ports of the two countries, Russia could continue the shipments indefinitely.

Russia blocked the committee’s annual renewal in late March, which the official described as a premeditated move by Moscow to hide its own violations of UN Security Council resolutions.

Also, the same official said that the US will continue to impose sanctions on those who “facilitate the transfer of weapons and refined oil between Russia and North Korea.”

“We have in the past worked to coordinate autonomous sanctions with our partners – including Australia, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom and will continue to do so,” the official said.