North Korea’s trade with Russia all but evaporated in 2021, Russian customs data shows, again underscoring how Pyongyang’s strict COVID-19 prevention measures have eviscerated commerce with the outside world.

But as world leaders pile sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow’s increased isolation could drive it to flout sanctions on trade with North Korea “even more shamelessly,” according to one expert.

According to data from Moscow’s Federal Customs Service, Russia did not officially export a single dollar’s worth of goods to North Korea in 2021. Imports from the DPRK were