North Korea fired a ballistic missile ahead of major US-South Korean military exercise, army says

North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Wednesday towards the Sea of Japan, its second such launch in under a week, according to South Korea's military. The missile, fired from the Wonsan area, reportedly landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. This launch occurred ahead of major joint military drills planned by South Korea and the US from August 17-27, which Pyongyang has historically condemned as provocative. In response, South Korea's presidential office called for an end to provocations, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed authorities to "take all possible measures for precaution." Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Russia used a North Korean ballistic missile in a recent attack, stating, "For the first time in its history, Russia cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea." He warned that increased use of North Korean missiles in Ukraine could enhance their capabilities, posing a greater future danger to countries like Japan and South Korea.