Russia submarine tests ballistic missile - navy

MOSCOW, Aug 7 (Reuters) A Russian nuclear submarine successfully test fired a ballistic missile across Russia from the Pacific Ocean to a testing range on an island in the Barents Sea, a Russian navy spokesman said today.

''A ballistic missile was launched today for testing purposes,'' the spokesman said by telephone.

The Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky atomic submarine in the Pacific Ocean fired the missile, which came down at the Chizha testing range on the Novaya Zemlya island in the Barents Sea, he said.

The spokesman gave no further details.

REUTERS PM VC1837