The United States programmed that in the early hours of this Wednesday morning start one Minuteman ICBM III, equipped with a dummy warhead, from a base in California to demonstrate the “readiness” of the country’s nuclear forces.
The launch of the unarmed missile is scheduled to take place before 5:37 a.m. local time (13:00 GMT) from the North Vandergberg special base there about 250 kilometers south of Los Angeles, on the Pacific coast. The military will track the missile’s warhead on its way to a predetermined target in the central Pacific.
The US has already informed the Russian government of its plans to launch the missile after “its existing bilateral commitments‘ said the Pentagon spokesman, Brigadier General Pat Ryder in a press conference.
The American government I had already planned this release for “years ago”. and it is “routine” to “validate the effectiveness” of the US weapons system, Ryder added.
At the moment, There are 400 Minuteman III missiles on alert at various US military bases, such as Malmstrom in Great Falls, Montana; Minot in North Dakota; and Warren of Wyoming.
According to the Department of Defense, this demonstration serves as a key assessment of the United States’ nuclear capabilities and underscores the ongoing efforts to maintain the operational readiness of its armed forces.
This US action coincides with tensions with the government of Vladimir Putin for the war in Ukraineand the Joe Biden administration’s strengthening of alliances with the governments of Japan and South Korea in dealing with North Korea.
Japan on alert
Meanwhile, the Japanese government said it was “observing developments with concern.” Pyongyang’s movements anticipate that leaders of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, and Russia, Vladimir Putin, will meet soon.
Tokyo made the statement after information released by US media suggesting a planned meeting between Moscow and Pyongyang leaders to discuss, among other things seal an exchange of weapons and aerospace and military technology, which could violate UN Security Council resolutions.
“We are monitoring this situation with concern as it may violate UN Security Council resolutions banning the export of arms and related materiel outright from North Korea,” the executive branch spokesman said today. Japan, Hirokazu Matsuno, at a press conference.
Japan “is analyzing North Korea’s moves, including the military,” and “will continue to work closely with the international community to ensure the country complies with UN resolutions,” Matsuno added.
The USA, for its part, issued a warning the day before North Korea said it will “pay a price in the international community” for supplying arms to Russia He was earmarked for war in Ukraine and, through White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, urged the country to live up to its public pledge not to do so.
With information from Efe