DPRK tested medium-range, not intercontinental ballistic missile

<p>The latest developments on the Korean Peninsula have become a matter of a grave concern against the backdrop of yet another launch of a ballistic missile by the DPRK on 28 July in violation of the UN Secretary Council resolutions. But the bellicose rhetoric will not produce a peaceful negotiated solution.</p> <p>According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, it was a medium-range ballistic missile. This assessment is based on the criteria agreed upon by the Russian and US militaries in the START and the INF Treaty. Accordingly, the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) means a ground-based ballistic missile with a range of more than 5500 kilometers. By the two key criteria (the distance in the projection to the Earth's surface and the maximum range to which the rocket has been tested), which were agreed upon by Russia and the United States, the DPRK&rsquo;s missile launches fall in the category of medium-range ballistic missiles regardless of other flight parameters, such as duration or height of the trajectory.</p> <p>It is important to refrain from any steps that could aggravate tensions in the region. Shifting responsibility is also a game with one goal-mouth. It is worth remembering that Russia and China developed a roadmap providing for a comprehensive solution based on a meaningful dialogue and truly collective effort. We call upon all the parties to follow suit.&nbsp;</p>