North Korea said it successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-14, on July 4. According to Pyongyang, the missile traveled 580 miles and reached an altitude of 1,740 miles during its 39-minute flight before hitting a a targeted body of water in the Sea of Japan.
US officials have concurred that the July 4 test marked North Korea's first successful firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
But Russia's Defense Ministry stated that its warning system showed the Hwasong-14 missile only reached a maximum altitude of 332 miles and flew just 316 miles. That flight distance and altitude correspond to the characteristics of a medium-range ballistic missile, the ministry said.
The latest North Korean missile test reportedly came in response to the US-South Korean leaders’ meeting on June 30.
