Russia won’t be surprised by war in North Korea, it’s been preparing for it

A war breaking out on the Korean Peninsula is one of the scenarios considered by the Russian military, so it would not be blindsided in case it actually happens, the head of Russia’s Security Council said, advocating a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

The launch of the Hwasong-15 ballistic missile by North Korea on Wednesday, which Pyongyang claimed is “capable of striking the whole mainland of the US” and Washington’s warning that the test brought the world “closer to war” has again raised concerns about potential disastrous consequences of a direct military confrontation.

Nikolay Patrushev, the head of Russia’s National Security Council, said Russia has been weighing its options if the war of words turns into a live shooting war.

“We are making calculations, preparations. It will not be a surprise to us,” Patrushev told RIA Novosti on Friday, when asked if Russia has been working on a response to hostilities potentially unfolding in the region.

While the war scenario can’t be ruled out, it must be avoided at all costs, Patrushev said, saying it’s not in the interests of Russia, which lies “effectively on the border with them [North Korea].”

“If there is military action, and you know that certain countries do not rule it out, then a range of different problems may follow, including for us,” he said, stressing that Moscow sees diplomacy as the only solution to the crisis.
 RT.COM
1/12/17