Missiles supplied by North Korea to Russia have been used in major attacks in Ukraine in recent days, the White House announced Thursday, condemning Pyongyang’s “significant and troubling escalation” of support for Moscow, AFP reported.

“Our information indicates that North Korea has recently provided Russia with ballistic missile launch systems and multiple-use ballistic missiles,” some of which were later used to strike Ukraine on Dec. 30 and again on Jan. 2, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told the carrier.

The United States and its allies will now report to the UN Security Council that the missile transfer is a violation of UN sanctions against North Korea, John Kirby said.

ballistic missiles from Iran

Russia also plans to buy missiles from its Iranian ally, the spokesman said.

“We will introduce additional sanctions against those who facilitate these arms transfers between Russia and North Korea and between Russia and Iran,” he added.

In 2023, the White House said there were signs that Russia and Iran were expanding their unprecedented defense partnership, thus helping Moscow continue its war in Ukraine while posing a threat to Iran’s neighbors.

According to experts, the recent massive strikes by Russia on large Ukrainian cities are aimed at exhausting the population and air defense of Ukraine.

• Read also: Ukrainian anti-aircraft fighters only have ammunition left for “a few” massive airstrikes – general / Will Ukraine run out of interceptors before Russia runs out of missiles? What experts say