Russia’s Air Force is capable of objectively monitoring North Korea’s airspace, the Air Force commander said Thursday during Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) command-post exercises, RIA Novosti news agency reports.

Pyongyang claimed October 9 that it successfully conducted its first ever nuclear weapons test, drawing a chorus of international condemnation, even from traditional allies such as China.

“For today’s exercise, we have gathered together A-50 aircraft, which fulfill the same function as American AWACS,” Vladimir Mikhailov said when asked whether Russia was monitoring the airspace above North Korea. “Today, we can track all targets from zero to 40,000 meters.”

“We have other reconnaissance means as well, and that’s why we know and see everything. We can see as far as we need to,” the commander is quoted by RIA Novosti as saying.

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