The ongoing pressure from the United States could push North Korea toward testing nuclear weapons. This assessment comes from Alexander Matsegora, the Russian ambassador to Pyongyang, as reported by TASS.
Matsegora addressed Western remarks about North Korea preparing for such tests, arguing that Western governments and the United Nations secretariat cannot be fully aware of Pyongyang’s plans in advance.
Against this backdrop, he dismissed Washington and allied statements about a potential seventh North Korean nuclear test as speculation. He noted that the issue closely tracks developments on the Korean peninsula’s military and political dynamics.
He suggested that if the United States and South Korea broaden nuclear deterrence and undertake provocative steps that resemble a formal nuclear alliance, North Korea’s leadership might decide to pursue a new nuclear test to bolster its defense capabilities.
The ambassador also pointed to ongoing actions such as the deployment of American nuclear submarines to South Korean ports and the flight of U.S. strategic bombers over the peninsula as factors that could influence Pyongyang’s calculus.
Previously, the Russian ambassador to the federation conveyed North Korea’s reluctance to enter an armed conflict, framing the situation within broader regional security concerns.