Moscow fears tensions will rise due to North Korea’s sharp criticism of US policy

MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Moscow calls for deescalation of tensions between North Korea and the United States, the spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

Alexander Lukashevich said that on February 4 North Korea issued the defense committee’s statement with a sharp criticism of Washington’s policies in regard to Pyongyang.

"In this context, I would like to point out that we do not support demarches like these, which could aggravate the situation, far from simple now, in the region next to Russia’s far eastern borders," he said.

"This arouses special concern that the belligerent rhetoric is repeatedly on the rise ahead of regular military exercises conducted by South Korea and the US," the Russian diplomat said.

"Our position is confined to a necessity to deescalate the situation using a policy of restraint and refusal to show force by all the sides," he said.