“The United States and South Korea carried out the aforementioned joint military exercises in the south of the Korean Peninsula, which cannot be considered defensive, given the participation of tens of thousands of military personnel and the use of offensive military equipment,” Zakharova said during a press conference on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

She added that these exercises took on a multilateral character by involving other US allies, including the United Kingdom, as well as the so-called UN command.

“These actions clearly contradict Washington and Seoul’s stated intention to seek an easing of military and political tensions, and also undermine the statements made by representatives of Washington and Seoul regarding their desire to establish dialogue with Pyongyang and respect its state system,” she stated.

According to the spokesperson, under conditions of continued systematic escalation of sanctions and forceful pressure on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, it is impossible to speak of any prospects for a radical change in the situation in the subregion. “We can only speak of another provocation,” Zakharova concluded.

Washington and Seoul held military exercises from August 18 to 28, rehearsing scenarios based on real threats and combat experience gained through analysis of recent conflicts.

Eighteen thousand South Korean troops and a comparable number of US military personnel participated in the exercises.

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