MOSCOW. May 28 (Interfax-AVN) - The recently tested North Korean nuclear device was no larger than four kilotons, U.S. non-proliferation and arms control expert Joseph Cirincione told a Thursday press conference in Moscow.
In his opinion, the Russian Defense Ministry's estimate of the bomb at 20 kilotons was wrong.
The explosion was equivalent from two to four kilotons, the expert said.
Final data will be posted within a week, and the precise estimate will be done, he noted.
It took a week to collect the information and to assess the size and nature of the explosion after the previous nuclear test of North Korea. The United States needs approximately the same time again, the expert said.
As for the North Korean nuclear potential, Cirincione said that none of the leading security services, including those of the United States, Russia and China, knew for sure which amounts of war-grade plutonium and how many warheads North Korea had.
He said he thinks that North Korea has enough plutonium for making six to eight nuclear warheads.
The expert also believes that North Korea recently tested warheads and their carriers.
North Korea will be unable to seriously endanger its neighbors for the next five to eight years, which are necessary for more tests, the expert said.