‘Russia condemns N Korea nuclear test’

Russia has condemned the nuclear test conducted by North Korea, considering it a violation of UN Security Council resolutions, Russian media report.

“We condemn these actions by North Korea and see them, along with the recent ballistic rocket satellite launch, as a violation of corresponding UN Security Council resolutions,” the Interfax news agency quoted a Russian foreign ministry source as saying on Tuesday.

It came after North Korea said earlier in the day it had successfully carried out its third underground nuclear test.

The state-run North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that the test involved “miniaturized” device and was conducted in a “perfect manner.”

Pyongyang’s confirmation came three hours after seismic activity was detected by some monitoring agencies from different countries at North Korea’s nuclear test site at 11:57 local time (0257 GMT).

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.9 shook North Korea, the US Geological Survey said. The tremor’s epicenter was only one kilometer deep and close to the test site.

Russia also voted on the US Security Council last month to support a resolution to impose further sanctions against North Korea in response to its rocket launch on December 12, 2012.

Moscow also voiced “deep regret” in December over North Korea’s move for launching a long-range rocket, which Pyongyang said was part of the country’s peaceful space program aimed at putting a satellite into orbit.

The UN Security Council will meet at 1400 GMT Tuesday in New York for emergency consultations on the nuclear activities of North Korea.

North Korea carried out its two previous nuclear tests on October 9, 2006 and May 25, 2009.