North Korea on Sunday slammed the United States plan to transfer tanks to Ukraine as an "unethical crime" that will worsen the global situation amid the Russia-Ukraine war.
In a statement, the head of US relations at North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kwon Chung-keun called claims by the United States that North Korea has sent armaments to Russia "groundless" claims, per state media KCNA.
He stated that the US is "working hard to supply" weaponry like battle tanks to Ukraine "at any cost," violating the "just concern" of the global community, per Reuters.
"This is an unethical crime aimed at keeping the international situation unstable," the North Korean official noted.
Kwon stated that spreading the false rumors of weapons transactions between North Korea and Russia is a "grave provocation" that can never be tolerated.
Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, blasted US commitments of combat tanks to Ukraine on Saturday, saying that Washington was "further crossing the red line" to seek dominance via proxy war, as reported by KCNA.
Last year, North Korea fired an unprecedented number of missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that might reach the U.S. American and South Korean authorities have both expressed concern that North Korea is gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017.
Last week, Russia's envoy to the US termed the Washington's commitment of tanks to Ukraine a "blatant" provocation that would have lasting consequences, per an earlier HNGN report.
West To Deliver Over 300 Tanks to Ukraine
Meanwhile, on Friday, Ukraine's envoy to France said that the West will be delivering more than 300 tanks to his country amid the Russia Ukraine war.
Ukrainian Ambassador to France Vadym Omelchenko noted that the Ukrainian government has received formal confirmation from several nations that they would ship 321 heavy tanks to the country, according to a CNN report.
He did not say which nations or what kinds of tanks will be supplied.
Omelchenko's estimate follows this week's commitments from the United States to supply 31 M1 Abrams tanks and Germany to deliver 14 Leopard 2 A6s. The United Kingdom has already promised to send 14 Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, while Poland has requested Germany for permission to send some of its own Leopard 2 tanks to the country.
Zelensky Also Pleads for Long Range Missiles, Fighter Planes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed appreciation to Western leaders for deploying tanks to help them win the Russia-Ukraine war, but he has also stressed the need for their prompt delivery.
He has been pleading with the West to deliver long-range missiles and fighter planes in his nightly speech.
Ukraine is looking for deliveries of long-range missiles and artillery, but Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly reminded NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that "progress must be made in other aspects of our defense cooperation."
Volodymyr Zelensky said that not only should Western tanks be sent quickly, but that they should be sent in such large numbers that "tyranny will never rise again" once they strike, as per a BBC report.
After getting the tanks, Zelensky will likely shift his attention to arming the Ukrainian air force with advanced and powerful fighter planes. However, many Western nations are still opposed to this, out of concern that the aircraft might be used to attack targets within Russia.
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