A senior DPRK military official, Pak Jong Chon, condemned the US on Monday for its growing military aid to Ukraine, reiterating his country's backing of Moscow in the Ukraine conflict, as per state media KCNA.

Both Russia and the DPRK have previously expressed growing concern over heightened military collaboration between the US and South Korea.

Pak Jong Chon said, as quoted by KCNA, that Russia has the "right to opt for any kind of retaliatory strike." He warned that continued US pressure on Ukraine could escalate into a "proxy war" with Russia, potentially triggering a stronger response from Moscow and even leading to a "new world war."

He mentioned remarks from the Pentagon last week indicating that Ukrainian forces could employ weapons supplied by the US to target Russian forces anywhere along the border, and even Russian territories.

This comes shortly after Russia's Defense Ministry held Washington responsible for Ukraine's deadly attack on Crimea on Sunday, which it said was carried out by US missiles.

"The responsibility for a deliberate missile strike on peaceful residents of Sevastopol is primarily carried by Washington, which supplied this weaponry to Ukraine," the ministry stated on Telegram, adding that Ukraine utilized ATACMS missiles.

It is worth noting that several Western countries, including the United States, recently gave Ukraine the green light to strike targets inside Russia, a move Moscow has called a grave miscalculation.

Russia, DPRK begin work on implementing new treaty

Russia's Ambassador to the DPRK Alexander Matsegora told Sputnik on Saturday that Russia and the DPRK are continuing their efforts to implement all provisions of the new strategic partnership treaty, sending a strong message to Pyongyang's adversaries.

"We are not resting on our laurels. We have entered a new period as the work on the implementation of all the provisions of the treaty is starting. We are ready for it. Our [North] Korean friends, of course, are too. Long road ahead yet," Matsegora said.

The ambassador further said that this new agreement is the outcome of extensive collaborative efforts between Russia and the DPRK since their leaders convened in September 2023, marking it as a historic document.

"[The treaty] not only provided a legal basis for comprehensive bilateral cooperation, but also guaranteed at a high level the security of our two countries and stability in Northeast Asia, sending a strong signal to those forces that have been gradually escalating tensions and increasing military, political and economic pressure on North Korea over the past years," Matsegora added.

Last Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the DPRK leader Kim Jong Un signed the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in Pyongyang. 

It is worth noting that the treaty includes a commitment from both countries to provide military and other forms of assistance in the event of an attack on either nation.

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