News / Russia

Russia successfully test-fires sub-launched ICBM across Eurasia

Tuesday, 27 June 2017 4:51 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 27 June 2017 5:04 AM ]

In this frame grab provided on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 by Russian Defense Ministry press service, long-range Kalibr cruise missile is launched from a board of the Krasnodar submarine in the Mediterranean. (Photo by AP)

The Russian military says it has successfully test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from a nuclear-powered submarine in the Barents Sea near Norway.

“The strategic Borey-class nuclear submarine, Yuri Dolgoruky, has successfully fired the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile from a designated area in the Barents Sea to the Kura Missile Test Range in Kamchatka (Peninsula)” in the Far East, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday.

“The launch was made from an underwater position in accordance with the combat training plan,” said the statement, adding that “the ICBM units completed the full flight program and successfully hit the targets in the range.”

With an estimated range of 9,300 kilometers (about 5,770 miles), the Bulava missile must have traveled at least 4,600 kilometers across nearly the whole Asian part of Russia to hit its target.

The Yuri Dolgoruky is a fourth-generation Borey-class nuclear submarine serving with the Russian Northern Fleet.

This type of submarines can carry up to 16 intercontinental sea-based Bulava missiles. They are planned to be the basis for Russia’s strategic naval nuclear forces in the future.

Russia has two more such subs, while another five are in development and estimated to be in active service by 2020.

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