UK slams Putin over use of North Korean missiles in Ukraine

LONDON — Britain accused Russia of using North Korean missiles in Ukraine in an act of “desperation.”

The White House on Thursday said it had intelligence indicating “the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea recently provided Russia with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles,” and that Russian forces had launched “at least one of these North Korean missiles into Ukraine” on December 30.

Spokesperson John Kirby said further Pyongyang-supplied missiles had been launched in subsequent days.

In its own statement issued Thursday night, the U.K.’s Foreign Office backed that assessment and urged North Korea “to cease its arms supply to Russia.”

“Russia is turning to North Korea for its weapons in pursuit of its cynical and ill-conceived military aims in Ukraine,” a spokesperson for the department said.

“This is symptomatic of its isolation on the world stage and a sign of its desperation,” they added. “Furthermore, this activity is in violation of multiple U.N. Security Council Resolutions – which Russia supported as a Permanent Member.”

The accusation comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin last year in which he vowed support for Russia’s “just fight.” Since then, there have been signs Pyongyang is helping Moscow gear up in its war with Ukraine.

Kirby, the White House spokesperson, also said Tuesday that Russia is seeking Iranian missiles, as previously reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The missiles would enhance the Kremlin’s ability to target Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and could be delivered to Russia as soon as the spring, but U.S. officials don’t believe the deal has been finalized.

Olivia Alafriz contributed reporting.