MOSCOW (Sputnik) — North Korea reportedly launched a ballistic missile from Sinpho, South Hamgyong province, toward the Sea of Japan earlier in the day. The medium-range ballistic missile of the Pukykson-2 type, as claimed by the South Korean military, flew 37 miles and reached an altitude of 117 miles.
"Units of the Russian Aerospace Forces are on hair-trigger alert. There is a threat in our Far East because there may be errors during the launch and we should be more careful in our airspace," Ozerov, chair of the defense committee, said.
Russia cannot exert influence on North Korea over its nuclear program as long as the United States holds military drills and deploys its missile defense system in the region, the Russian senator added.
"We are ready to use our influence with North Korea at negotiations. But when there is constant pressure on Pyongyang from the US, which conducts exercises along the North Korean borders with South Korea, when the US develops the new missile defense system in the region, it is difficult for Russia to talk with Pyongyang in these conditions," Ozerov said.
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