Moscow Slams US-South Korea Drills as 'Provocative'
Moscow condemns US and South Korea's joint military exercises near the DMZ, defending North Korea's right to self-defence under the UN Charter.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a scathing attack on the United States and South Korea, accusing them of fueling instability on the Korean Peninsula through aggressive joint military exercises. Moscow claims these maneuvers are not merely defensive but are designed to prepare for pre-emptive strikes against North Korea.
Security Deteriorating on the Peninsula
Speaking during a media briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned that the security situation in the region is showing no signs of stabilization. Instead, she argued that the dynamics continue to deteriorate, citing the expanding scale of maneuvers conducted by Washington and Seoul as the primary catalyst for the crisis.
According to Zakharova, the war games conducted near the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) are "overtly provocative." She pointed out that the participants themselves have admitted these exercises are intended to rehearse pre-emptive strikes against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), including the potential use of nuclear weapons.
A Multi-Domain Military Push
Moscow highlighted that the scope of these operations has expanded rapidly, spanning land, air, maritime, and cyber domains. The Russian spokesperson specifically identified several key operations that have heightened tensions:
- Iron Mace: A US-ROK command-post exercise.
- Hoguk: A South Korean military exercise.
- Airborne Operations: US maneuvers conducted behind simulated enemy lines.
- Freedom Flag: A joint air exercise continuing through November 6.
- Freedom Edge: Trilateral exercises conducted in September involving the US, South Korea, and Japan.
Defending Pyongyang's Right to Defence
While Seoul has attempted to place the blame for regional friction on North Korea, Russia has firmly rejected this narrative. Zakharova defended Pyongyang's recent military developments, asserting that they are entirely lawful and justified.
"We regard the measures Pyongyang is taking to strengthen its security and defence capabilities as entirely lawful and justified, in full accordance with the right to self-defence enshrined in the UN Charter," Zakharova affirmed.
Call for an Immediate Halt
Closing her statement, the Russian spokeswoman urged South Korea to abandon its "anti-Pyongyang rhetoric" and immediately stop all dangerous military games near the DMZ. She called on Seoul to stop searching for "far-fetched pretexts" to accuse the DPRK and instead respect Pyongyang's sovereign right to ensure its own security through any available means.
The Trilateral Perspective
Despite the criticism from Moscow, the United States, South Korea, and Japan have continued their strategic cooperation. In September, the three nations launched the five-day "Freedom Edge" exercise in international waters east and south of Jeju Island. This multidomain operation proceeded as planned, even amidst previous reductions to certain Seoul-Washington exercises following directives from US President Donald Trump.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) defended the drills in an official press release, stating that the exercises are essential to enhance joint response capabilities across maritime, air, and cyber domains while maintaining a stable cooperative relationship between the three allies.