The United States Department of the Treasury has announced sanctions against Chinese makers of drone engines and parts that President Joe Biden’s administration says have directly helped Russia mount long-range attacks in the war in Ukraine.

The sanctions, issued on Thursday, target three entities and one individual for their involvement in the development and production of Russia’s “Garpiya series” long-range attack drones.

Russia has recently used long-range drone attacks to penetrate Ukraine’s air defences, wreaking havoc across the country, including a missile strike in the city of Poltava that killed 55 people and wounded 328.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged the US to allow his forces to use its long-range weapons to strike deep into Russian territory.