North Korea declared its Tuesday launch of a Hwasong-14 missile constituted its first-ever successful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. The United States, South Korea, and Japan have concluded it was an ICBM. The United Nations has concluded it was an ICBM. Independent observers in the scientific community say the data suggest it was an ICBM, too. Russia says it’s not so sure. And, as The Washington Times was reporting Thursday night, it’s blocking a U.S. push for new and tougher UN sanctions against the Hermit Kingdom and its enablers over those doubts.
The paper reported: Russia on Thursday blocked a U.N. Security Council Resolution drafted by the U.S. that called for “significant measures” in response to North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The U.S. circulated the statement among the 15-member council after announcing plans for a new sanctions resolution against the nuclear-armed regime in North Korea. But an objection by Russia killed the statement, said a U.N. diplomat. Russian officials argued that the missile launch Tuesday had not been verified as an intercontinental missile. CONTINUE
