North Korea is boasting that its new intercontinental ballistic missile is “the world’s strongest,” a claim seen as pure propaganda after experts assessed it as being too big to be useful in a war situation.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea ratified a major defense treaty with Russia stipulating mutual military aid, the North’s state media reported Tuesday, as the US, South Korea and Ukraine say North Korea has sent thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine.