White House national security spokesperson John Kirby answers a question during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 3, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Washington, United States — North Korea has provided Russia with ballistic missiles and missile launchers that were used in recent attacks on Ukraine, the White House said Thursday.
“This is a significant and concerning escalation,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters in a briefing.
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Russian forces launched at least one of the North Korean-supplied missiles on December 30, which landed in an open field in the Zaporizhzhia region, Kirby said.
Moscow’s forces then fired “multiple” ballistic missiles into Ukraine as part of a mass aerial attack on January 2, he added.
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The United States and its allies will now raise the matter at the UN Security Council as it represents a breach of UN sanctions against North Korea, said Kirby.
Russia also intends to purchase missiles from its ally Iran, said the spokesman.