Washington DC - The US announced new sanctions that target Cuban Armed Forces Minister General Alvaro Lopez Miera, seven other individuals, and five state-owned entities.

"These actions target state-owned entities, military enterprises, and Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) officials involved in foreign military cooperation and the procurement of military equipment intended for the Cuban regime," the State Department wrote in a statement published on Thursday.

The other individuals sanctioned include the chief of general staff of the Cuban armed forces, the heads of the military's foreign relations and economic wings, and its military attaches to China and Russia.

The state-linked entities targeted by the new sanctions are alleged to aid in Cuban procurement of weapons from countries deemed to be US adversaries, including China and Russia.

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"These designations follow the Department's July 20 report Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism, which chronicles the Cuban regime's continuing partnerships with Russia and China, both of which have supplied Cuba with military hardware, surveillance technologies, and other security capabilities," the State Department said.

President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Cuba in recent months, cutting off vital fuel supplies, which has worsened the country's economic conditions, led to major shortages, and contributed to widespread power outages.

Earlier on Thursday, UN experts cautioned that energy, transport, irrigation and basic services in Cuba are failing, disproportionately affecting women, children, older persons and other vulnerable groups.