Ukraine breaks ties with North Korea over recognition of breakaway regions

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated that he “strongly condemns” the decision of the North Korea to officially recognize the “so-called” independence of the regions of luhansk and donetsk occupied by Russia in Ukraine, according to a statement released on Wednesday (13).

In response, the Ukrainian government announced the severing of diplomatic relations with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the country’s official name.

“We consider this decision to be an attempt by Pyongyang to undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, a gross violation of Ukraine’s Constitution, the UN Charter and fundamental norms and principles of international law,” the ministry said in a statement.

For nearly eight years, the two separatist enclaves of Luhansk and Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, have been the scene of a low-intensity war, which has left more than 14,000 dead, between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces.

War broke out in 2014 after Russian-backed rebels seized government buildings in eastern Ukraine’s towns and cities.

Intense fighting has left parts of Luhansk and Donetsk, in the Donbas region, in the hands of Russian-backed separatists.

Also in 2014, in a move that sparked global condemnation, Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

North Korea’s action on Wednesday makes it the only country besides Russia and Syria to recognize the two breakaway enclaves.

“Russia’s appeal to the DPRK for support in legitimizing the forced annexation of a part of Ukrainian territory speaks more to Moscow’s toxicity than that of Pyongyang,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a statement from the statement. Ministry.

“Russia no longer has allies in the world, except countries that depend on it financially and politically, and the isolation level of the Russian Federation will soon reach the level of isolation of the DPRK.”