US Postpones ICBM Launch Test... "Measure to Ease Tensions with Russia"

[Image source= U.S. Air Force official website]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. Department of Defense announced that it has postponed a scheduled test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to ease military tensions with Russia. This move is interpreted as a response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent provocative display of nuclear threat cards related to the Ukraine war.

According to CNN and other foreign media on the 2nd (local time), John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, said at a press briefing that "We have decided to postpone the scheduled test launch of the ICBM 'Minuteman-III.' We recognize how important it is to take measures to reduce risks during these tense times," adding, "The postponement of this test is intended to show that we have no intention of engaging in any actions that could be misunderstood or misinterpreted."

Spokesperson Kirby emphasized, "We never took this decision lightly," and added, "We made a careful decision to demonstrate how seriously we take nuclear weapons and that we are a responsible nuclear power."

The Minuteman-III is a representative U.S. ICBM with a range exceeding 9,660 km and a launch speed reaching 24,000 km/h. The U.S. Department of Defense stresses that postponing the ICBM test launch will have no impact on maintaining the United States' nuclear deterrence.

The tension reduction with Russia announced by the U.S. Department of Defense is interpreted as related to the recent nuclear threat provocations made by President Putin. On the 27th of last month, President Vladimir Putin instructed the military command to "place nuclear deterrence on high alert" amid ongoing aggressive statements from the West regarding the Ukraine invasion. The Russian Ministry of Defense also stated that it has strengthened combat readiness in accordance with this order.

Russia has recently resorted to overt nuclear threats as concerns grow over the prolonged conflict due to the Ukraine invasion not proceeding as initially planned. On the 2nd, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned, "If a Third World War occurs, it will be a nuclear war."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.