North Korea's recent missile test of the 'Hwasong-19' ICBM, claimed to be the 'world's strongest', displays advancements in missile technology, amid U.S. and South Korean concerns over troop deployments in Russia for the Ukraine war. While boasting of a longer flight duration and height than previous tests, experts caution that North Korea still faces technological hurdles before achieving a fully functional nuclear-armed missile capable of targeting the U.S. Meanwhile, heightened military cooperation between North Korea and Russia raises alarm among regional allies.