Russia successfully tests newest nuclear missile

Moscow, June 29: Russia successfully tested its newest Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile today, sending it thousands of km (miles) away from the White Sea to the Kamchatka peninsula in the Far East, Russian agencies said.

''It all went off without a glitch at all stages of the launch,'' the agencies quoted Russian navy spokesman Igor Dygalo as saying. The rocket, which flew almost the length of the giant country, was launched from the Dmitry Donskoy nuclear submarine.

''The dummy warhead of the missile hit its target at a testing site ... Russian navy chief, Admiral Vladimir Masorin, thanked ... the submarine's commander and its crew for professionalism and high level of training.'' Bulava's successful launch is uplifting news for the Russian military after several earlier launches failed.

Last October, a Bulava missile fell into the sea several minutes into its flight. Before finally acknowledging the failure, military sources had rushed to report the launch was a success.

Russia's submarine fleet is the world's second largest and is a key part in the nation's defence shield. Bulava is a flagship project intended to be an equivalent to the US Trident, according to Russian media.

Bulava is designed for Russia's new-generation Borei-class (Arctic Wind) nuclear submarines. The first, long-delayed submarine of the class -- named Yuri Dolgoruky -- was launched in April.

Reuters

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