This weekend, North Korea successfully launched its long-range ballistic missiles. After several failed attempts, this launch is threatening to the US but pleasing to Kim Jung Un who was reportedly ecstatic about the success, saying that if the US “dares opt for a military provocation” North Korea can defend itself. The missile flew almost 500 miles and reached a maximum altitude of 1,300+ miles before crashing into the Sea of Japan.

North Korea reports that their missile can reach the U.S. mainland carrying a nuclear warhead. However, North Korea is still far from creating a nuclear warhead that could fly on their missiles.

Although Russia is not an adversary of North Korea, Vladimir Putin finds Pyongyang’s missile program to be a threat and insists to (according to Putin) “resume dialogue with North Korea, to stop intimidating it and find peaceful solutions to problems.”

Future relations with North Korea are still unclear and with each missile test, global concern continues to increase.