As Pyongyang pledges to accelerate build-up of ‘nuclear force’, US said Russia and China embolden country to further violate UN sanctions.

The United States on Monday called out Russia and China at the United Nations Security Council for "shamelessly protecting" and emboldening North Korea to further violate U.N. sanctions as Pyongyang pledged to accelerate building up its "nuclear force.

As thousands of North Korean troops deploy to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine, China is left particularly uncomfortable by the swift militarization of ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.

American agencies have assessed that China dislikes the growing partnership between Russia and North Korea. The State Department has raised the troop issue with Chinese diplomats.

Japan's top national security official said he conveyed "serious concerns" to China's foreign minister over North Korea's deepening ties with Russia after the pair held talks in Beijing.

The thousands of North Korean troops US intelligence say arrived in Russia for training this month have sparked concern they will be deployed to bolster Moscow’s battlefront in Ukraine.

"We believe that the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] has sent around 10,000 soldiers in total to train in eastern Russia," Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said.

The United States on Monday called out Russia and China at the United Nations Security Council for "shamelessly protecting" and emboldening North Korea to further violate U.N. sanctions as Pyongyang pledged to accelerate building up its "nuclear force.

The United States on Monday called out Russia and China at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for "shamelessly protecting" and emboldening North Korea to further violate U.N. sanctions. "Russia and China have shamelessly protected Pyongyang from any reprisal,