Russia criticizes West’s ‘desire’ to blame North Korea for regional tensions

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Wednesday criticized the West’s “desire” to blame North Korea, which has conducted a series of weapons tests in recent months, for growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The Foreign Ministry in a statement accused the US and its allies for the situation by taking “provocative steps,” such as "drawing in NATO infrastructure, increasing the level of military preparations, and increasing maneuvers and exercises in close proximity to the borders” of North Korea, including those with a nuclear component.

These steps by the US, South Korea and Japan are forcing Pyongyang to take measures to ensure its own defense and security, it added.

“We call for an end to the irresponsible and explosive line of the US, which, under the slogan of ‘Indo-Pacific strategies,’ would like to undermine the independent development of the countries of the region and the sovereign right of their peoples to preserve and strengthen their identity and choose an independent path of development,” the statement said.

​​​​​​​Tensions between the Koreas are said to be at their highest point in years as the pace of both North Korea’s weapons tests and South Korea’s combined military exercises with the US have intensified.

Russia and North Korea, meanwhile, have grown closer, with the US accusing Pyongyang of providing munitions and military equipment to Russia to help boost its war effort in Ukraine.