MOSCOW - Russia criticised the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday over its plans to launch a rocket, saying the decision showed disregard for UN Security Council resolutions restricting such actions and  calling for a diplomatic solution to the dispute.

"We consider Pyongyang's decision to conduct a launch of a satellite an example of disregard for UN Security Council decisions," state-run news agency RIA quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich as saying.