Military expert Vladislav Shurygin believes Western countries are increasingly recognising the possibility of a large-scale war and are now trying to reduce the risk of unexpected developments.

He made the comments after the United States and 40 other countries called for at least 24 hours’ advance notice before planned ballistic missile launches. Shurygin said he did not believe the initiative had appeared by chance.

According to the expert, any ballistic missile launch immediately triggers concern within monitoring systems because its purpose, including whether it is intended for combat use, may only become clear during a later stage of flight, sometimes just minutes before impact.

Shurygin suggested that Washington’s statement could be linked to missile testing activity in the Pacific region. He did not rule out that North Korea may be one of the intended targets of the initiative and that the move is designed to increase pressure on Pyongyang.

At the same time, he noted that North Korea has consistently ignored the position of Western countries. For that reason, he argued that threats to hold states accountable for failing to follow the proposed rules are unlikely to have much effect.

Shurygin also pointed out that North Korea possesses nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. In his view, attempts to apply direct military pressure on Pyongyang could provoke a severe response.