The Russian parliament has criticized North Korea’s ballistic missile launch on Friday, but said the matter should be dealt with diplomatically.

Russian media outlets, including Ria Novosti, reported that Russian Senator Franz Klintsevich, who serves as First Deputy Chairman of the Senate’s Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security, said North Korea’s missile launches are only raising the possibility of a catastrophic event on the Korean Peninsula, and aggravate international tensions.

However, Klintsevich called for a diplomatic solution, claiming the international community’s economic sanctions have not produced any tangible results, while military threats are only enraging the North Korean leadership.

He also urged the U.S. to declare that it will stop encroaching upon North Korea’s sovereignty and using military pressure against the regime. 

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