The United States cornered itself by ignoring Russia's lawful interests and now lacks the strength to continue the "strategic confrontation" with Moscow, North Korea's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Kim Song said in a statement quoted by the state-run news agency KCNA on Friday.
"The Ukrainian situation was created by the confrontation policy of the US to infringe upon the reasonable and just security interests of Russia and push forward the advance of NATO to the East ... The US pulled up the DPRK which has nothing to do with the discussion of agenda items. This is the vivid reflection of their plight in the tight corner and only reveals its insufficient might and means in the strategic confrontation with Russia," the statement read.
The North Korean envoy added that there was no need for Pyongyang to comment on "every US groundless accusation," but he also urged Washington to "better know who its rival is" and think about consequences rather than immediate gains, before dragging in other countries.
On January 4, White House Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said, without providing any evidence, that Russia allegedly used missiles received from North Korea to strike Ukraine. During the Wednesday meeting of the UN Security Council, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya dismissed the allegation as fake news.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to respond to the allegation directly, pointing out instead that Russian territory, including civilian facilities, is constantly being hit by shells and missiles manufactured in Germany, France, Italy, the US and other countries. North Korea has also repeatedly denied statements by Western media and officials about alleged arms deliveries to Russia.