While the Russian government has avoided apportioning blame for the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, the Russian media, much of which has very close relations with the government, has noted the seriousness of the attack and the responsibility that North Korea bears for it.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement yesterday evening expressing “deep concern” at the “exchange of artillery fire” and adding, “The Russian side resolutely condemns any manifestations of force in relations between states and believes that all existing controversial issues should be dealt with solely by peaceful, diplomatic and political means,” before calling for “responsibility and restraint” to avoid escalation.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also commented on the attack, saying, “I think that what happened deserves to be condemned and those who initiated the shelling of a South Korean island are taking a huge responsibility upon themselves.”
However, while neither pointed the finger of responsibility at North Korea, that was not the case elsewhere.
In an opinion piece entitled “Pyongyang Has Crossed the Rubicon” for Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the most popular newspaper in Russia and one of the closest to the government, Artyom Sanjiev said, “If the ‘Cheonan’ cause was as turbid as the waters of the Yellow Sea, now it has all happened literally in the front of the TV cameras. And it won’t be so easy to justify deaths and ravaging simply by accusing Seoul of being the first to shoot.”
Elsewhere, Vasiliy Miheev, a member of Russia’s Academy of Sciences spoke with state news broadcaster Vremya about China’s role, noting, “This [Beijing’s official reaction to the incident] is the official, public message of Beijing. However, there is also a message to the North Korean government. This message is that Pyongyang must be conscientious and that it must obey its obligations to denuclearize, and that if Pyongyang fails to do that then things will be bad for it.”
“Now the North Koreans are expecting, as used to be the case, to ‘raise the stakes’ in the game and get some aid,” Miheev added, before concluding, “However, the Americans and the South Koreans do not want to play this game anymore.”
