North Korea says US military aid to Ukraine is ‘incredible mistake’

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea, which has been accused of illegally supplying weapons to Russia, said on Sunday that U.S. military aid worth $8 billion to Ukraine is “an incredible mistake” and playing with fire against nuclear superpower Russia.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced the new aid as Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Washington to help Kyiv defend itself, including longer-range weapons that will upgrade its ability to strike Russia from safer distances.

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Washington is escalating the Ukraine conflict and driving all of Europe to the brink of a nuclear war.

“The United States and the West should not dismiss or underestimate Russia’s serious warning,” Kim said in a statement published by state news agency KCNA.

“Are the United States and the West really able to handle the consequences as they recklessly play with fire against Russia, which is a nuclear superpower?” she said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned he could use nuclear weapons if Russia was hit with missiles and would consider any assault against it that is backed by a nuclear power to be a joint attack.

Helping Zelenskiy continue a military adventure is a dangerous and irresponsible gamble and announcing the new $8 billion in military aid was “an incredible mistake and foolish act,” Kim said.

Kim, who holds a position in North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party, often makes statements on Pyongyang’s position on political and security matters believed to be authorized by the country’s supreme leader.

North Korea and Russia have dramatically upgraded their ties in the past year with their leaders meeting twice and agreeing on a “comprehensive strategic partnership” that includes a mutual defence pledge.

North Korea has shipped at least 16,500 containers of weapons to Russia since September last year and Russia has fired missiles from those shipments against Ukraine, the United States has said.

Both North Korea and Russia deny any illegal arms trade.

(Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Deepa Babington and Daniel Wallis)