Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stated that the increase in military cooperation between Russia and North Korea poses a serious threat to the security of both Europe and Asia, and called on Asian partners to consider increasing military assistance to Ukraine.
"This night, Ukrainian school-age children and their parents slept peacefully at home before the start of the school year. Russia launched a barrage of 35 missiles and 23 drones into Ukraine early this morning, while people were sleeping. Fortunately, Ukraine's air defense saved lives, but civilian infrastructure was damaged," Kuleba wrote on social media.
He noted that some of the ballistic missiles fired this morning were KN-23s manufactured by North Korea.
"The regimes in Pyongyang and Moscow have no restrictions on long-range strikes against any place in Ukraine. However, in defending itself against these two barbaric war machines, Ukraine is forced to fight with hands tied behind its back. Isn’t this absurd?" the minister pointed out.
He emphasized that Ukraine’s partners should abandon baseless fears and lift restrictions on Ukraine's legitimate right to self-defense according to the UN Charter, which includes the right to strike any legitimate military targets on Russian territory.
Kuleba also stressed that Russia’s use of North Korean ammunition in the war against Ukraine not only violates international law and endangers the lives of Ukrainians but could also significantly worsen the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, in the Asia-Pacific region, and globally.
"The growing military cooperation between Putin and Kim poses a serious security threat to both Europe and Asia. We urge our Asian partners to consider increasing military aid to Ukraine. The stronger Ukraine is, and the less successful the Russian and North Korean dictators are, the more stable and secure Europe and Asia will be," the Foreign Minister concluded.
