Trump: We must confront the threat from North Korea
The claim from senior Moscow senator Alexey Pushkov came as Russia upped its criticism of the US over the Korean crisis ahead of the first meeting between the White House and Kremlin leaders tomorrow.
Putin's officials dispute the US intelligence analysis that Pyongyang had successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile, called Hwasong-14, arguing it was an intermediate-range version.
They have also demanded in the UN that America's withdraws its threat of possible military force against the tyrannical Kim Jong-un regime after Trump said he was planning "pretty severe things" in response to the ballistic missile test.
"Bush Jr. had Iraq, Obama had Libya. Trump is risking having a war of his own - Korean."
Separately, Russia denied US claims that North Korea "operated labour camps on Russian soil and subjected thousands of North Korean workers to forced labour."
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the claims were "groundless".
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"There is no doubt that such fabrications ... are pursuing the sole purpose of using the human rights tool to exert unilateral pressure on North Korea, creating artificial obstacles to restricting cooperation," she said.
Moscow also warned Trump that imposing new sanctions on North Korea will "drive it into an impasse".
The US leader is weighing his options after Pyongyang said the successful test showed "all of the US mainland" is in range of a potential nuclear strike.
The North Korean ruler dubbed it a gift to "American bastards".
The US leader is weighing his options after Pyongyang said the successful test showed "all of the US mainland" is in range of a potential nuclear strike.
The North Korean ruler dubbed it a gift to "American bastards".
North Korea live pictures: Kim Jong-un v Donald Trump
Tue, July 4, 2017Photographs depict how tensions have escalated between North Korea and the United States
Senior Russian diplomat at the UN, Vladimir Safronkov, warned that Moscow deems "attempts to smother the North Korean economy to be inadmissible".
And he insisted: "The possibility of taking military measures to resolve the problems of the Korean peninsula should be excluded."
China - like Russia a neighbour of North Korea - warned against "chaos and conflict on the peninsula."
UN envoy Liu Jieyi stated: "Military means must not be an option."
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley had insisted North Korea's actions were "quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution," leaving Washington few options except military force.
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"The United States is prepared to use the full range of our capabilities to defend ourselves and our allies. One of our capabilities lies with our considerable military forces. We will use them if we must," she told an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
Russia denied their missile test was a threat to its territory.
"The launch was carried out in the direction opposite to Russian borders and posed no threat to the Russian Federation," said the foreign ministry.
Russia and China want an agreement under which North Korea is banned from nuclear and missile tests.
In return the US and South Korea should stop large scale joint military drills.
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