Seoul and Moscow Trade Diplomatic Barbs as Ukraine War Escalates
Seoul has formally expressed concern to the Russian embassy over a large banner displayed on the embassy’s exterior wall in the South Korean capital. The banner, bearing the message “Victory will be ours” in Russian, is seen by many as a provocative statement given Russia’s ongoing military campaign in Ukraine. The South Korean foreign ministry, according to reports from Yonhap news agency, conveyed its concerns on Sunday, citing potential tensions with the South Korean public and other nations.
The incident occurs against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical friction, with Russia warning South Korea against providing financial support for arms supplies to Ukraine. Moscow has threatened “asymmetric” retaliatory measures should Seoul join the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, a framework aimed at facilitating the purchase of U.S. Weapons for Kyiv. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that such a move would “irreparably damage” relations between the two countries and undermine prospects for dialogue on the Korean peninsula, according to Russia’s TASS news agency.
South Korea’s foreign ministry has been in consultation with NATO regarding various forms of support for Ukraine, but has maintained an official stance of not directly supplying arms to the country. Moscow, however, has indicated it would view any participation in the PURL initiative as a departure from that position. The warning from Russia underscores the growing pressure on South Korea to balance its security alliance with the United States and its economic ties with Russia.
The escalating tensions are further complicated by developments within Europe. Hungary has declared its intention to block the European Union’s next package of sanctions against Russia, linking its decision to the resumption of Russian oil transit through a pipeline supplying Hungarian refineries. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced the move on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, stating that Hungary would not allow decisions beneficial to Kyiv to proceed until Ukraine restores oil flows via the Druzhba pipeline. This action has drawn condemnation from Ukraine, which has accused Hungary and Slovakia of “ultimatums and blackmail” after both countries previously threatened to halt electricity supplies to Ukraine unless the oil transit issue was resolved.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to intensify its military operations in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on Sunday that Russia launched 297 drones and nearly 50 missiles in a wave of overnight strikes, targeting not only energy facilities but also logistical infrastructure, including railways and municipal water supplies. While Zelenskyy stated that a “significant proportion” of the attacks were intercepted, the strikes underscore the continued vulnerability of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.
The attacks prompted a response from Ukrainian air defenses, and also led to reciprocal strikes within Russia. A “massive” Ukrainian missile attack inflicted serious damage on energy infrastructure and disrupted power, heat, and water supplies in Russia’s Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov. Similarly, emergency crews in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region reportedly restored power to most areas hit by Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure. A fuel reservoir also caught fire after a Ukrainian drone attack on an oil depot in Russian-controlled Luhansk.
The conflict has also spilled over into Russian airspace, causing temporary disruptions to air travel. Four Moscow airports – Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo, and Zhukovsky – resumed flights on Sunday after being briefly suspended due to a drone attack. Russian air defenses reportedly downed 71 Ukrainian drones, including 11 en route to Moscow, according to the Interfax news agency.
In a separate development, Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared the development of Russia’s nuclear forces an “absolute priority” following the expiration of the New START treaty with the United States. Speaking on Russia’s “Defender of the Fatherland Day,” Putin vowed to strengthen the army and navy and leverage experience gained from the war in Ukraine. The expiration of New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control pact between Moscow and Washington, has raised concerns about a renewed arms race between the two nuclear powers.
The conflict in Ukraine continues to claim lives. A police officer was killed and 24 people wounded after several explosive devices detonated in Lviv, western Ukraine, on Sunday. President Zelenskyy blamed Russia for the attack, which Lviv’s mayor described as a terrorist act. Twelve people remained hospitalized, with two in serious condition, as of Sunday evening.
The situation remains highly volatile, with diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict facing significant obstacles. The interplay between European sanctions, Russian threats, and ongoing military operations suggests a protracted period of instability and heightened geopolitical risk.
