PYONGYONG: In response to Pyongyang's recognition of the alleged Donetsk People's Republic and Lugansk People's Republic, Ukraine announced on Wednesday that it was breaking its official ties with the North korea.
North Korea on Friday criticized Ukraine for cutting diplomatic ties with the two countries, following the formal recognition of two self-declared pro-Russian republics in the former war-torn nation.
The north's action came after another Russian ally, Syria, took similar action last month.
Using the North's official name "DPRK" a foreign ministry spokesman in Pyongyang was quoted as saying, "Ukraine has no authority and qualifications to take issue with the DPRK over the legitimate exercise of sovereignty. "
In addition, the spokesman accused Kyiv of acting in a way that was "contrary to fairness and justice in state-to-state relations while aligning itself with the US," which he claimed was had led an "unfair and illegal hostile policy".
Russian officials earlier this week urged North Korea to recognize the region, which "speaks more about Moscow's toxicity than Pyongyang does," according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba.
The self-declared republics were recognized by Russia just before it invaded its neighbour, the pro-European Ukraine, on 24 February.
The country "decided to recognize the independence of the People's Republic of Donetsk and the People's Republic of Lugansk and expressed a desire to develop state-to-state relations
with those countries in the idea of independence, peace, and friendship," according to KCNA on Thursday morning.
The DPR declared that the cleaning of Seversk's eastern regions had begun.
