Russia used North Korean missiles for Ukraine attacks — US

WASHINGTON, United States — North Korea has provided Russia with ballistic missiles and missile launchers that were used in recent attacks on Ukraine in a major escalation of support for Moscow, the White House said Thursday.

Russia is also looking to obtain missiles from its ally Iran as it runs short of arms nearly two years into President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, it said.

The Pyongyang-supplied missiles with ranges of around 900 kilometers (550 miles) were fired by Russia in two attacks on Ukraine within the past week, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

"Our information indicates that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea recently provided Russia with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles," Kirby told reporters in a briefing at the White House.

"This is a significant and concerning escalation of the DPRK's support for Russia."

The development underscored the need for the US Congress to pass a package of vital military aid for Ukraine, without which the pipeline of support will soon run dry, Kirby added.

Air defenses for Ukraine, which has come under a barrage of aerial attacks by Russia in recent days, were "absolutely" a priority, he said.

"It's critical that Congress meets this moment and responds by providing the Ukrainians what they need to defend themselves. The time for Congress to act is now," he said.

Russian forces launched at least one of the North Korean-supplied missiles on December 30, which landed in an open field in the Zaporizhzhia region, Kirby said.

Moscow's forces then fired "multiple" ballistic missiles into Ukraine as part of a mass aerial attack on January 2, he added.

The United States and its allies will now raise the matter at the UN Security Council as it represents a breach of UN sanctions against North Korea, said Kirby.

Britain said it "strongly condemns" Russia's use of North Korean missiles.

"Russia is turning to North Korea for its weapons in pursuit of its cynical and ill-conceived military aims in Ukraine. This is symptomatic of its isolation on the world stage and a sign of its desperation," a Foreign Office statement said.

North Korea would pay a "high price" for