Oct. 24 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. government imposed sanctions on Russian, Chinese and Venezuelan companies for supplying what it said were materials used in making weapons of mass destruction to Iran, North Korea and Syria.

Companies including Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Corp. were barred from entering into contracts with the U.S. government, according to a document posted on the Web site of the U.S. Federal Register and dated yesterday.

``A determination has been made that 13 foreign persons have engaged in activities that warrant the imposition of measures pursuant to Section 3 of the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act,'' the U.S. government said in the statement.

Sanctions against Rosoboronexport violate international law and will impact relations between Russia and the U.S., Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in remarks broadcast by state television.

To contact the reporter on this story: Greg Walters in Moscow gwalters1@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 24, 2008 06:25 EDT