19:42 GMT +322 January 2019

This picture taken by the Republic of Korea Air Force on January 10, 2016 and released via Yonhap news agency shows a US B-52 Stratofortress (bottom R) flying with South Korean F-15K fighter jets (top) and US F-16 fighter jets (bottom L) over South Korea

US-S Korea Drills Seek to Sabotage Pyongyang-Seoul Peace - Russian Lawmaker

© AFP 2018 / YONHAP

17:26 16.05.2018(updated 15:11 17.05.2018) Get short URL

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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ongoing US-South Korean military drills are aimed at sabotaging the reconciliation efforts taken by the two Koreas, Viktor Bondarev, the chairman of the Russian parliament's upper house Defense and Security Committee, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"Joint South Korean-US military drills Max Thunder may impede establishing peace on the Korean peninsula. Certainly, the initiative to sabotage the reconciliation of the two Koreas belongs to the United States," Bondarev said.

Bondarev stressed that if the US side and its allies continued with similar actions, then all the agreements achieved through "enormous efforts" at the recent summit of the two Koreas would not be implemented.

READ MORE: S Korea, US to Go On With Drills Despite Pyongyang Suspending Talks — Ministry

On July 4, Pyongyang announced the successful launch of its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong-14, which traveled 933 kilometers (580 miles) before falling into the Sea of Japan. Two days after, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that the United States was prepared to use the full range of capabilities, including military options, to defend the country and its allies against North Korea.

© Sputnik / Ilya Pitalev

Indian Minister in Pyongyang Amid Threats by North Korea to Disengage With US

Last week, Seoul and Washington launched their annual two-week Max Thunder air drills. Pyongyang said that the exercise was a violation of the Panmunjom agreement and canceled the inter-Korean negotiations which were scheduled for Wednesday. Earlier in the day, Seoul expressed its regret over Pyongyang’s decision.

During the historic summit in April in the truce village of Panmunjom, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a joint declaration, agreeing to take measures to support international efforts aimed at denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and proceed with the reunion programs for the separated Korean families.

Related:: N Korea Downscales Tank Military Drills Amid Rapprochement With South - Reports

: S Korea, US to Go On With Drills Despite Pyongyang Suspending Talks – Ministry

: US, Philippines Begin Annual Military Drills Despite Tensions - Reports

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military drills, Democratic Republic of North Korea (DPRK), United States, South Korea

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