North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the first weapons tests from a new 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, including a supersonic cruise missile, as part of a push to modernize and nuclearize the country’s navy.

The tests, conducted earlier this week, also featured anti-aircraft and strategic cruise missiles.

Kim called for an aggressive defense posture and the development of a blue-water navy, ABC News has reported.

The move comes amid growing military ties between North Korea and Russia and continued tensions with the U.S. and South Korea, following Pyongyang’s recent missile launches and support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Written by B.C. Begley