A military conflict between North Korea and the United States is “very close,” a spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry said on Sunday evening.

“How far the situation has gone… Well, it has come very close to a potential possibility of a force conflict,” Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, said in comments carried on the Rossiya-1 TV station.

Citing comments from members of the “Washington establishment”, Zakhavora said an armed conflict on the Korean peninsula would be a “real catastrophe.”

“Representatives of the establishment, Congressmen are