N. Korea blames US, West for 'revival of Nazism,' defends Russia over Ukraine war
Staff members of the Russian Embassy in North Korea lay flowers at a memorial site in Pyongyang, June 11, to remark Russia Day celetbrated annually on June 12 in this image released by Korean Central News Agency. Yonhap
North Korea condemned the United States and other Western countries Monday, accusing them of fueling concerns over the revival of Nazism, on the anniversary of Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union.
In an article carried by the Korean Central News Agency, the North claimed that "modern-day Nazi forces" have reemerged, heightening global concern over what it described as a challenge to the future of humanity.
"The danger of neo-Nazism is being highlighted more seriously through the current situation in Ukraine," the report said. "It cannot be separated from the schemes of the U.S. and the West, which have strongly defended and supported Ukraine on the international stage."
The North also vowed to "firmly thwart the imperialists' attempts to revive Nazism" in order to "safeguard sovereignty, security and international justice."
The remarks appeared aimed at justifying Russia's invasion of Ukraine while showcasing solidarity between Pyongyang and Moscow.
Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. An estimated 27 million Soviet soldiers and civilians were killed during World War II, and Russia marks the date as a national memorial day.