Ambassador Nebenzia: If The US And Its Allies Have The Right To Help Ukraine, Why Not Russia's Allies?

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzia. (Twitter/@RussiaUN)

JAKARTA - Russia's ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzia on Wednesday questioned why allies like North Korea could not help Moscow in the fight against Ukraine, while the United States and the West claimed the right to help Kyiv.

Ambassador Nebenzia faced outspoken arguments at a meeting of the Security Council from the United States, Britain, South Korea, Ukraine and other countries, all accusing Russia of violating UN resolutions and UN Charters by deploying troops from North Korea (DPRK) to help Moscow.

"Supporting aggression, which completely violates the principles of the UN Charter, is illegal," South Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Joonkook Hwang said.

"Every activity involving sending DPRK troops to Russia is a clear violation of various UN Security Council Resolutions," he continued.

Yesterday, United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said some 10,000 North Korean troops were already in eastern Russia and it appeared they would be used to support combat operations in Russia's Kursk region, near the border with Ukraine.

Ambassador Nebenzia said Russia's military interactions with North Korea did not violate international law. Russia has not denied the involvement of North Korean troops in the war, which it has launched in Ukraine since February 2022.

"Even if everything that is said about cooperation between Russia and North Korea by our Western counterparts is right, why are the United States and its allies trying to impose on all the wrong logic people, they have the right to help Zelensky's regime and Russia's allies have no right to do the same?" explained Ambassador Nebenzia.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya responded: "No country provides assistance to Ukraine under the sanctions of the Security Council."

"Receiving assistance from North Korea which received full sanctions is a blatant violation of the UN Charter," he added.

"Sending DPRK troops to support Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is a marked violation of international law," he added.

North Korea is known to have been under UN Security Council sanctions since 2006. The sanctions have been strengthened for years with the aim of halting the development of Pyongyang nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

North Korea has not yet acknowledged deployment of troops to Russia, but said the action would comply with international law.

"If Russia's sovereignty and security interests are exposed and threatened by continued dangerous efforts from the United States and the West, and if it is judged that we must respond with something, we will make the necessary decisions," North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Song Kim told the council.

"Pyongyang and Moscow maintain close contact with each other regarding mutual security and the development of the situation," he said.

However, US deputy Ambassador Robert Woodward warned North Korean leader Kim Jong Un: "If DPRK forces enter Ukraine to support Russia, they will definitely return in a body bag. So I would advise leader Kim to think twice before taking such reckless and dangerous actions."