North Korea criticizes US for supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine, KCNA says

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea criticized the United States for supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine, state media KCNA reported on Monday, citing a statement from the defence ministry.

The United States in recent weeks secretly shipped long-range missiles to Ukraine for use in its battle to fight off Russian invaders, a U.S. official said on April 24.

On Sunday, the director of the Department of Foreign Military Affairs of North Korea's Ministry of National Defence was quoted as saying in a statement: "The U.S. has secretly supplied long-range missiles to Ukraine, sparking off uneasiness and concern of the international community."

"The U.S. can never defeat the heroic Russian army and people with any latest weaponry or military support," the director said.

Military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow are growing which the U.S. and its allies see as escalating tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim in Seoul; Editing by Matthe Lewis)