Pyongyang has stated that it will always stand with Moscow in the fight to defend its sovereignty.
The North Korean Foreign Ministry has strongly criticized Ukraine’s incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region, calling it a terrorist act backed by the West.
The ministry said in a statement on Sunday that Kiev’s most significant attack on internationally recognized Russian territory since the conflict began in February 2022 was a result of the “vicious anti-Russia confrontational policy” of the US.
The ministry, as quoted by state-run news agency KCNA, stated that the Americans and their allies are attempting to deceive the public by claiming they had no involvement in the incursion, but “various heavy hardware, including US and Western tanks discovered daily on the Kursk battlefield, clearly proves who is behind Ukraine.”
The ministry warned that Washington, which has spent “astronomical” amounts on supplying Kiev with weapons, is pushing the security situation towards World War III.
The statement reads, “North Korea condemns the armed attack on Russian territory launched by the [Vladimir] Zelensky puppet authorities under the manipulation and support of the US and the West as an unforgivable act of aggression and terrorism.”
It added that Pyongyang will always stand with Moscow in its efforts to protect its sovereignty.
Russia and North Korea have significantly strengthened bilateral relations recently, with the leaders of both countries exchanging visits within less than a year. During a trip to Pyongyang in June, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a “comprehensive strategic partnership” agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which includes a mutual defense agreement.
Western officials have celebrated and expressed support for Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Region, but denied any prior knowledge of the operation or any involvement in it. However, Mikhail Podoliak, the top adviser to Zelensky, claimed that “there were discussions between partner forces, just not on the public level,” of the attack.
Nikolay Patrushev, an adviser to Putin and former Security Council secretary, stated earlier this week that the incursion was “planned with the involvement of NATO and Western special services.”
Washington also stated that it had prohibited Kiev from using US-supplied long-range ATACMS missiles in the attack on Kursk Region. However, Ukraine has used various other American equipment in the operation, including Bradley and Stryker infantry fighting vehicles, Patriot air defense systems, and HIMARS multiple rocket launchers.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Sunday that since the incursion into Kursk Region began on August 6, Kiev has lost up to 3,460 troops and several hundred pieces of military hardware, including 50 tanks, 45 APCs, and three US-made HIMARS systems. “The operation to destroy the Ukrainian armed formations continues,” the ministry stated.