On the surface, Russia’s decision to launch a military attack on Ukraine on Thursday has no immediate connection to North Korea.

But amid an ongoing decline in East-West relations, the recent warming of China-Russia ties and impasse at the U.N. on North Korea issues, experts say this flashpoint could have multiple first- and second-order consequences for the peninsula.

Besides giving cover for potential North Korean missile and nuclear tests,the way the international community responds to hostilities in Ukraine could influence the long-term sustainability of the DPRK sanctions regime, while providing further justification for Pyongyang to develop its nuclear weapons