North Korea on Tuesday fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern sea, the South Korean military said, as the country continued its weapons demonstrations hours before the U.S. presidential election.

The launch, into waters west of Japan, came shortly after the United States and South Korea criticized the North for sending troops to join Russia’s war.

"We believe that the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] has sent around 10,000 soldiers in total to train in eastern Russia," Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said.