The Kremlin today said it regretted new sanctions against North Korea by the United States that include Russian firms and a company director. The US slapped fresh sanctions Thursday on several North Korean entities and officials as well as two Russian companies trading with Pyongyang, adding more economic pressure on the isolated regime over its nuclear weapons push. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the measures “are a factor that continues to have a negative effect on our bilateral relations,” quoted by RIA Novosti news agency.