The foreign ministry says Russia is likely to have violated UN sanctions by providing drones as a gift to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. 

A ministry official said Monday that the provision of drones to the North is likely to constitute a violation of a UN Security Council(UNSC) resolution that bans the direct and indirect provision of all heavy machinery, industrial equipment and transportation vehicles to the North. 

The official then stressed that the government will issue a stern warning against acts that seriously threaten national security and blatantly violate UNSC resolutions while strengthening related cooperation with allies, including the U.S., in taking response measures. 

The official’s comments come after NK News, a U.S.-based media outlet covering North Korea, and Russia’s TASS news agency said Primorsky Krai Governor Oleg Kozhemyako presented six drones, a drone control system and bullet-proof vests to Kim when he visited the region.