Russia To Hold Major Naval Exercises Off Korean Coast

Russia today said it will go ahead with plans to hold naval exercises near North Korea in June despite rising tensions between the two Koreas.

The exercises were planned before a report of international investigators last week found North Korea responsible for the March sinking of a South Korean warship, in which 46 sailors died.

Russia maintains ties with North Korea.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Igor Lyakin-Frolov today said that Moscow needs "100 percent proof" that North Korea sank the ship.

compiled from agency reports