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U.S. aircraft carrier may cause Pyongyang's hasty responses: Russian official

Xinhua, April 9, 2017 Adjust font size:

A Russian official expressed worries on Sunday that the deployment of a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group near the Korean Peninsula may push the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to respond hastily.

The U.S. Carl Vinson Strike Group has departed from Singapore and sailed northward to the Western Pacific ocean near the Korean Peninsula, the United States Pacific Fleet Commander announced Saturday.

The deployment came amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula after the DPRK test-fired a ballistic missile on Wednesday.

If Pyongyang sees the deployment as a threat to its security, it may rush into actions in response, said Victor Ozerov, chairman of the Russian Federation Council's Committee on Defense and Security, according to a RIA Novosti report.

Ozerov said international law does not prohibit the U.S. navy forces from shipping toward the Korean Peninsula, but its military presence will not be good for maintaining dialogue with Pyongyang.

It is even possible that the United States could launch sudden strikes against the DPRK just as it did to Syria, he added.

Pyongyang has carried out a number of missile launches and nuclear tests, incurring worldwide criticism and tighter United Nations sanctions. Endi