Ukraine accused North Korea of providing military aid to Russia

(Patria) - Ukraine yesterday accused North Korea of providing military aid to Russia that enables "mass killings" of civilians.

It called for stricter measures to isolate the two countries, following the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Pyongyang.

- North Korea is actively cooperating with Russia in the military field today and is deliberately providing resources for the mass killings of Ukrainians - said Advisor to the Ukrainian President Mykhailo Podolyak to AFP.

He accused Pyongyang of supplying Moscow with "large-caliber shells" that enable it to "maintain a high intensity of artillery and missile attacks".

- This affects the course of the war as a whole and significantly increases the number of civilian casualties - added Podolyak, accusing North Korea of "conscious participation" in Russia's war in Ukraine.

Podolyak also expressed regret over the "complete ineffectiveness of global pressure instruments" and called for a "stricter approach to achieving real isolation" of Russia and North Korea.

- It is obvious that the restrictive measures imposed on Russia and North Korea are not sufficient - he assessed.

North Korea and Russia signed a mutual defense agreement yesterday to "jointly fight" against American "hegemony".

The strategic partnership agreement includes a mutual defense clause under which both countries commit to helping each other repel external aggression.