Washington's Long-Range Missile Criticism for Ukraine, North Korea: US Can Never Defeat Russian Soldiers and People

Military aid delivery to Ukraine. (Wikimedia Commons/US Embassy Kyiv Ukraine)

JAKARTA - North Korea criticized the United States' decision to supply long-range missiles to Ukraine, saying it could not defeat Russia, state media reported, citing a Ministry of Defense statement on Monday.

The United States in recent weeks has secretly sent long-range missiles to Ukraine for use in its battle against Russian invaders, a US official said April 24.

The Director of the Foreign Military Affairs Department of North Korea's Ministry of National Defense in a statement Sunday said: "The US has secretly supplied long-range missiles to Ukraine, which has sparked anxiety and concern in the international community," reported Reuters April 29.

"The US will never be able to defeat the heroic Russian army and people with any new weapons or military support," continued the director.

Increasingly military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow are seen by the US and its allies as increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

As previously reported, the United States has secretly sent long-range missiles to Ukraine for use in fighting against Russia in recent weeks, having already been used twice in attacks, an official said last week.

The missiles were included in a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine approved by US President Joe Biden on March 12, the US official said on condition of anonymity, without saying how many missiles were sent.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, in a briefing to reporters, confirmed a "large number" of missiles had been sent to Ukraine and said "we will send more."

He said Ukraine had committed to only using weapons on Ukrainian territory, not on Russian territory.

The missiles were used for the first time in the early hours of April 17, launched at a Russian airfield in Crimea that is about 165 km (103 miles) from the Ukrainian front line, the official said. The official said Ukraine used the weapons for the second time overnight against Russian forces in southeastern Ukraine.

The Pentagon initially opposed deploying long-range missiles, fearing the loss of missiles from the American stockpile would compromise US military readiness. There are also concerns that Ukraine will use it to attack targets deep in Russian territory.

North Korea's use of long-range ballistic missiles against Ukraine in December and January, despite US and private warnings not to do so, caused Russia to change its mind, the US official said.

One factor in the US decision was Russia's targeting of critical Ukrainian infrastructure, the official said.

"We warned Russia about those things," the official said.