On June 25, 2026, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs came out in full defense of North Korea, bluntly telling South Korea to immediately stop its pressure campaign and lift all sanctions against North Korea.
According to a report by the South Korean newspaper ChoSun on June 26, 2026, numerous analysts noted that Russia's public defense comes as Russia and North Korea strengthen their ties, deepening a "brotherhood through thick and thin." This unfolds amid rumors that South Korea has secretly dispatched troops to assist Ukraine. Interestingly and coincidentally, Russia chose to make these statements exactly on the 76th anniversary of the Korean War. In that past conflict, North Korean leader Kim Il-sung launched an invasion of South Korea with the backing of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.
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Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko held a face-to-face meeting with Lee Seok-bae, the South Korean Ambassador to Russia
This heated geopolitical development erupted immediately after Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko held a face-to-face meeting with Lee Seok-bae, the South Korean Ambassador to Russia. During the meeting, the Russian side told South Korea directly that it is deeply concerned about the joint military drills between South Korea and the United States near the North Korean border, comparing them to pouring gasoline on a fire and escalating regional tensions. Russia urged South Korea that if it truly wants peace, it must demonstrate real action rather than just giving lip service while applying pressure on others.
In addition to defending North Korea, Russia expressed deep frustration over the South Korean government's decision to join the West and the European Union in criticizing and attacking Russia. This action directly contradicts South Korea's repeated assurances to Russia that it wishes to maintain good relations and see things return to normal. Rudenko recalled from a previous interview that since South Korean President Lee Jae-myung took office, South Korea's rhetoric and stance toward Russia have completely shifted compared to previous leaders. He emphasized that sweet words only carry meaning when accompanied by real actions, but so far, South Korea has shown no signs of wanting to restore trade and economic relations with Russia.
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The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns South Korea to stop pressuring North Korea and providing weapons to Ukraine, or face retaliatory measures.
More seriously, Russia issued a direct pre-emptive warning that it will inevitably take retaliatory measures if South Korea dares to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine. In the interview, Rudenko clarified that Russia has officially informed South Korea multiple times that it cannot tolerate South Korea intervening by supplying weapons to Ukraine, whether directly or indirectly. If South Korea turns a deaf ear and ignores this warning, the relationship between Russia and South Korea will be shattered beyond repair, leaving Russia with no choice but to retaliate.
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