The event, attended by global leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, was described by Beijing as a demonstration of national unity and resilience

This launch occurred just hours after Pyongyang warned of an impending satellite launch by June 4, which would have been its second spy satellite in orbit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a congratulatory message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on the occasion of the 70th the anniversary of "the victory of the Korean people" in the Korean War of 1950-1953, the Kremlin said on Thursday