MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th May, 2022) Moscow does not expect the situation on the Korean peninsula to get out of hand due to the increase in missile launches conducted by North Korea, Petr Ilichev, the head of the department of international organizations of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"The situation is not getting out of control. However, regretfully, the unfortunate trend continues when the US and Western countries have decided to change the policy of the (North) Korean leadership through pressure. This will not happen," Ilichev said.
The diplomat noted that an unintended escalation of conflict on the Korean peninsula, resulting in clashes, is not possible at the moment.
Earlier in the day, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said that North Korea fired an unidentified projectile in the direction of the Sea of Japan at about 03:10 GMT, likely an intercontinental ballistic missile. The Japanese Defense Ministry said the projectile traveled up to a maximum altitude of 800 kilometers (497 miles) and had a range of 500 kilometers, falling outside the exclusive economic zone of Japan. It was the 14th missile launch conducted by North Korea in 2022. Tokyo has lodged a protest with Pyongyang via diplomatic channels in Beijing.
