The United States and its allies condemned Russia’s use of North Korean missiles in Ukraine on Wednesday, calling it abhorrent, while Seoul said the country, which has been invaded since February 2022, is a test site for Pyongyang’s nuclear missiles. , informs Reuters.

Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting about the nearly two-year war sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a Russian representative said the United States appeared to be spreading “incorrect” information.

But he categorically did not deny that Russia is using North Korean weapons, which, according to Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood and other US allies, violates UN resolutions.

“It is disgusting that a permanent member of the UN Security Council grossly violates the Council’s resolutions regarding an attack on another UN member state, violations that increase the suffering of the Ukrainian people, support Russia’s brutal war, and undermine the global non-proliferation regime. “, Wood said.

The United States and seven other countries previously accused Russia of using its position as a veto-wielding permanent member of the Council by acquiring North Korean missiles and using them in Ukraine in violation of Council resolutions.

“A permanent member of the Security Council who voluntarily participates in these violations demonstrates a clear exploitation of his position,” said the statement of the permanent members of the Council – Great Britain, France and the United States, and non-permanent members – Malta, Slovenia and South Korea. as well as Japan and Ukraine.

The fact that Russia holds veto power in the Council, along with Britain, China, France and the United States, effectively guarantees that the body cannot punish Moscow.

The White House said last week that Russia recently used short-range ballistic missiles obtained from North Korea to launch several strikes against Ukraine, according to newly declassified information.

Moscow and Pyongyang have denied any arms deal, but last year pledged to deepen military ties.

Recently, Russia launched some of its most intense strikes against Ukraine since its invasion nearly two years ago.

The Russian ambassador to the UN did not unequivocally deny the use of North Korean missiles

Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vasyl Nebenzya, said that Western countries characterized the Security Council meeting as an “anti-Russian propaganda” exercise, but did not deny unequivocally that Moscow fired North Korean missiles at Ukraine.

“Today, Western members of the Security Council repeated the ‘fact’ of the Russian military’s use of missiles from North Korea in its special military operation in Ukraine,” Nebenzya said, adding that a representative of the Air Force of Ukraine denied this information. that there was any evidence of this “fact”. Thus, it turns out that the US is spreading information that is incorrect without trying to verify it in advance,” said a Russian official.

South Korea’s ambassador said Russia’s use of North Korean missiles gave Pyongyang “valuable technical and military information” about its weapons.

“By exporting missiles to Russia, North Korea uses Ukraine as a test site for its nuclear missiles,” South Korean Ambassador Hwang Jung Kook said.

“Some experts believe that the missiles fired in Ukraine are KN-23 missiles, which North Korea claims can carry nuclear warheads,” he added, noting that one of them flew 460 km, the distance between the North Korean launch site and South Korean. the city of Busan.

“From Korea’s point of view, this is tantamount to a simulated attack,” he said.

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