Putin red-faced as Kremlin forced to search for missing North Korean missile

Vladimir Putin may be forced to clean up after fellow dictator Kim Jong-Un as Kremlin officials have revealed they are searching for a North Korean nuclear missile in Russian waters. Russia ‘s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said officials were hunting for any missile debris from the latest launch of North Korea’s Hwasong-18 missile. He claimed that the Kremlin had “no clear information that the missile fell in Russia ‘s economic zone,” Reuters reported, quoting the TASS and RIA news agencies. Russian state media said North Korea’s missile launch was a “strong practical” warning to the US over its supposed interference in Asia. The ballistic missile launch was also considered a threat to South Korea and Japan – two strategic enemies of North Korea, and two of the West’s core allies in the region. North Korea launched an ICBM on Wednesday into the sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan (Image: AP) North Korea launched its first ICBM test in three months on Wednesday after repeated threats to shoot down US spy planes over the Hermit Kingdom. It is believed the Hwasong-18 ICBM tested by North Korea is harder to spot and intercept than its older, liquid-fuel ICBMs. The long-range missile was fired near Pyongyang at around 10am, flew roughly 620 miles at a maximum altitude of 3,730 miles, and landed in an unknown location between the Korean Peninsula and Japan . The missile test was widely condemned by North Korea’s rivals, with South Korea calling the test a “grave provocation” by its totalitarian neighbor. Chief Japanese Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said North Korea’s tests were repeated “threats to the peace and safety of Japan, the region, and international society.” Kim has repeatedly fired ICBMs in a race to catch-up with Western nuclear technology (Image: AP) North Korea has conducted dozens of ICBM tests since 2017 as it races to develop a nuclear weapon capable of striking US cities. It has not manufactured an ICBM with the necessary technology or range. Yet, Kim Jong-Un insists his new Hwasong-18 ICBM gives North Korea the chance to “counterattack” the US. Kim’s sister Kim Yo Jong has also warned the United States that ‘a shocking incident’ is on the cards and she claimed a US spy plane flew over the North eight times earlier this week. Follow our social media accounts here on   https://www.facebook.com/ExpressUSNews   and   @ExpressUSNews