Russia says it will build close ties with North Korea 'in all areas'
By Reuters
MOSCOW, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Russia said on Thursday that it planned to build close ties with North Korea in all areas, a day after South Korea, Japan and the United States condemned what they said were weapons supplies from Pyongyang to Moscow.
Asked about the accusation by the three countries, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "There are many such reports, they are all groundless as a rule, there are no specifics. Such reports have been around for a long time. We see no point in commenting on this."
He added: "North Korea is our neighbour and we continue and will continue to develop close relations in all areas."
Pressed on whether weapons deliveries had taken place, Peskov said: "We don't comment on this in any way."
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit in Russia in September at which they discussed military matters, the war in Ukraine and possible Russian help for the secretive state's satellite programme.
The United States and its allies have voiced concern that Kim could provide weapons and ammunition to Russia, which has expended vast stocks in its 20-month war in Ukraine.
Forty caretaker senators on Friday petitioned Thailand's Constitutional Court to dismiss Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin over a cabinet appointment which they say breaches the constitution.
French police shot dead an armed man who set fire to a synagogue in the northwestern city of Rouen early on Friday, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and local officials said.
U.S. prosecutors on Thursday announced the arrests of an American woman and a Ukrainian man they say helped North Korea-linked IT workers posing as Americans to obtain remote-work jobs at hundreds of U.S. companies.
Kenyan lawyers have moved to block the country's planned deployment of police to Haiti, a court filing showed, days before officers are expected to arrive in the Caribbean nation to tackle spiralling violence there.