SEOUL: North Korea on Friday condemned the United States’ decision to supply Ukraine with advanced battle tanks to help repel the Russian invasion, saying Washington is escalating a sinister “proxy war” aimed at destroying Moscow.
The commentary of the North Korean leader’s influential sister Kim Jong Un highlighted the country’s increasing alignment with Russia over the war in Ukraine as it confronts the United States and its Asian allies over its own expanding nuclear and missile program.
North Korea has blamed the United States for the Ukraine crisis, insisting that the West’s “hegemonic policies” forced Russia to take military action to protect its security interests.
It has also used the distraction created by the war to accelerate its own weapons development, firing more than 70 missiles in 2022 alone, including potentially nuclear weapons believed to be targeting South Korea and the US mainland can aim.
The United States has accused North Korea of sending large quantities of artillery shells and other munitions to Russia to support its offensive in Ukraine, though the North has repeatedly denied the claim.
Kim Yo Jong’s remarks, carried out by the official Korean Central News Agency, came after US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that the United States will send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, reversing months of Washington’s arguments that they are too difficult were for Ukrainian troops to fight. operate and maintain. The US decision followed Germany’s agreement to send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from its stock.
Kim said the Biden administration “further crossed the red line” by sending its main tanks to Ukraine and that the decision reflects a “sinister intent to realize its hegemonic goal by extending the proxy war for Russia’s destruction.” expand”.
“The US is the arch-criminal who poses a serious threat and challenge to Russia’s strategic security and pushes the regional situation to the current serious stage,” she said.
“I have no doubt that all the military hardware boasted by the US and the West will be burned to pieces in the face of the indomitable fighting spirit and might of the heroic Russian army and people,” she said, adding that Northern Korea will always be “in the same trench” with Russia.
North Korea is the only country besides Russia and Syria to recognize the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, two Russian-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, and has also suggested plans to send workers there to help with reconstruction .
The commentary of the North Korean leader’s influential sister Kim Jong Un highlighted the country’s increasing alignment with Russia over the war in Ukraine as it confronts the United States and its Asian allies over its own expanding nuclear and missile program.
North Korea has blamed the United States for the Ukraine crisis, insisting that the West’s “hegemonic policies” forced Russia to take military action to protect its security interests.
It has also used the distraction created by the war to accelerate its own weapons development, firing more than 70 missiles in 2022 alone, including potentially nuclear weapons believed to be targeting South Korea and the US mainland can aim.
The United States has accused North Korea of sending large quantities of artillery shells and other munitions to Russia to support its offensive in Ukraine, though the North has repeatedly denied the claim.
Kim Yo Jong’s remarks, carried out by the official Korean Central News Agency, came after US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that the United States will send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, reversing months of Washington’s arguments that they are too difficult were for Ukrainian troops to fight. operate and maintain. The US decision followed Germany’s agreement to send 14 Leopard 2 A6 tanks from its stock.
Kim said the Biden administration “further crossed the red line” by sending its main tanks to Ukraine and that the decision reflects a “sinister intent to realize its hegemonic goal by extending the proxy war for Russia’s destruction.” expand”.
“The US is the arch-criminal who poses a serious threat and challenge to Russia’s strategic security and pushes the regional situation to the current serious stage,” she said.
“I have no doubt that all the military hardware boasted by the US and the West will be burned to pieces in the face of the indomitable fighting spirit and might of the heroic Russian army and people,” she said, adding that Northern Korea will always be “in the same trench” with Russia.
North Korea is the only country besides Russia and Syria to recognize the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, two Russian-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, and has also suggested plans to send workers there to help with reconstruction .
