The Defense Ministry has officially denied reports that Russian experts told Seoul that they did not believe the South Korean “Cheonan” naval warship sank due to a torpedo attack from North Korea.

Ministry spokesman Won Tae-je told reporters that Russia is currently in the middle of an independent investigation into the sinking that is based on the material their experts obtained and an edited version of the South Korean investigation report that was submitted to the United Nations.

Won added that the ministry still plans to hold South Korea-U.S. joint military drills in the Yellow Sea once the U.N. Security Council announces its response to North Korea’s sinking of the Cheonan, despite stiff opposition from China.

Won said that the drills are a show of force in response to the North’s sinking of the warship.