Ballistic Missiles

Russia Informed US of ballistic missile attack on Ukraine: Pentagon

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 Russia notified the US before its experimental launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) targeting Ukraine, the Pentagon confirmed Thursday. “The United States was pre-notified briefly before the launch through Nuclear Risk Reduction channels,” spokesman Sabrina Singh told reporters The IRBM was based on Russia’s RS-26 “Rubezh” intercontinental ballistic missile model, she said. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that his country struck the Pivdenmash aerospace plant in Dnipro in central-eastern Ukraine with a new hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile. Putin updated Moscow’s nuclear doctrine on Tuesday, allowing for the potential nuclear weapon use in response to conventional missile attacks backed by a nuclear power. The escalation came amid reports that the Biden administration authorized Ukraine to use long-range US missiles to target deep within Russia following reports of North Korea sending troops to support Moscow’s war effort Asked about Putin’s remarks that Russia could strike countries who let Ukraine use their missiles, Singh said Washington has observed no changes in Moscow’s nuclear posture. “We haven’t seen any adjustments that we’ve observed in their nuclear posture, and we haven’t adjusted our nuclear posture in exchange,” she said. “We’ve seen this type of dangerous, reckless rhetoric before from President Putin. What we’re focused on is continuing to support Ukraine with what it needs.”

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North Korea fires suspected ballistic missile, says Japan

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North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile early Thursday, said the Japanese government, marking the 12th such launch by Pyongyang this year. Japan’s Defense Ministry said the missile, launched eastward from North Korea’s interior at 7.11 a.m. local time (2211GMT Wednesday), flew for one hour and 26 minutes before landing outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), west of Okushiri Island, NHK News reported. The missile was reportedly launched on a lofted trajectory, meaning it was fired at a steep, near-vertical angle, a tactic often used by North Korea to test missiles without overflying neighboring countries. The missile reached an estimated altitude of over 7,000 kilometers (4,349 miles) and traveled a distance of about 1,000 kilometers (621 miles), identifying it as an “ICBM class,” the government said, according to Kyodo News. There was no damage to planes and ships reported from the missile, it added. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced plans to convene an emergency meeting of the National Security Council. Japan’s Coast Guard confirmed that no immediate reports of damage had been received related to the launch. The latest launch marks North Korea’s first missile test since it fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Sept. 18. South Korean military authorities also detected the launch and said the missile was likely launched from an area near the capital Pyongyang. On Wednesday, they had suggested North Korea might conduct an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test amid heightened tensions. The missile launch follows recent reports of North Korean troops being deployed to Russia, a move condemned by South Korea, the US and NATO, further intensifying regional security concerns. -US strongly condemns ICBM test The US strongly condemned the ICBM test, saying “this launch is a flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.” The launch did not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory or to its allies, but “needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said in a statement.  “We urge all countries to condemn these violations and call on the DPRK to cease its destabilizing actions and engage in serious dialogue,” said Savett, using the initials of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea’s official name.

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 North Korea fires ballistic missiles into Sea of Japan

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North Korea fired several ballistic missiles Thursday, which are believed to have landed outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the Sea of Japan, with no damage reported to aircraft or vessels, according to the Japanese government. The Defense Ministry said the missiles were launched from North Korea’s west coast between 7.10 a.m. and 7.14 a.m. (2210GMT and 2214GMT Wednesday), with at least two reaching over 350 kilometers (217.5 miles) and a maximum altitude of about 100 kilometers (62 miles) before falling off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast, Kyodo News reported. Tokyo has lodged a strong protest with Pyongyang over the missile tests, the first since July 1. Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara criticized the launches as a “clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions” and deemed them “totally unacceptable.” The South Korean military confirmed that North Korea launched short-range ballistic missiles from near Pyongyang toward the Sea of Japan, traveling approximately 360 kilometers (223 miles). Senior officials from Japan, the US and South Korea condemned the launches and reaffirmed their trilateral cooperation during phone calls, the Japanese Foreign Ministry reported. The launches followed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s pledge on Monday to significantly increase the country’s nuclear arsenal, according to state media. The missiles were fired just before the start of official campaigning for Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership election to choose a successor to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

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