White House national security spokesperson John Kirby answers a question during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., January 3, 2024. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Washington, United States 鈥斅燦orth Korea has provided Russia with ballistic missiles and missile launchers that were used in recent attacks on Ukraine, the White House said Thursday.
鈥淭his is a significant and concerning escalation,鈥� National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters in a briefing.
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Russian forces launched at least one of the North Korean-supplied missiles on December 30, which landed in an open field in the Zaporizhzhia region, Kirby said.
Moscow鈥檚 forces then fired 鈥渕ultiple鈥� ballistic missiles into Ukraine as part of a mass aerial attack on January 2, he added.
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The United States and its allies will now raise the matter at the UN Security Council as it represents a breach of UN sanctions against North Korea, said Kirby.
Russia also intends to purchase missiles from its ally Iran, said the spokesman.