Russian MoD Says N Korean Missile Traveled 732 Km, Fell in Sea of Japan

The Russian ministry said that the North Korea missile appears to be not an ICBM as the US, Japan and South Korea believe, but "a medium-range ballistic missile based on its technical characteristics."

DPRK's missile flew far away from Russian borders and "didn't pose a threat to Russia," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Earlier in the day, the Pentagon said that the US military assessed that North Korea’s missile launch on Friday was an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that traveled 1,000 kilometers.

DPRK's move appears to be the first missile launch carried out by Pyongyang after its first successful ICBM test as North Korea and the US describe it.

On July 4, North Korea announced it had successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile, saying it traveled 580 miles and reached an altitude of 1,740 miles during its 39-minute flight before accurately hitting a targeted area in the Sea of Japan. The test immediately prompted sharp criticism from the international community.

Following the launch, the Russian Defense Ministry disputed Pyongyang's claim, saying the missile's flight parameters indicated it reached an altitude of 535 kilometers (332 miles) and traveled 510 kilometers before falling in central Sea of Japan. However, US officials believe that Pyongyang had successfully launched an ICBM for the first time.