Russia announced today that it has successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering nuclear warheads from a fourth-generation nuclear submarine.
The launch of the ‘Boulava’ missile, the first in about a year, comes just days after Russia revoked its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
“The new strategic nuclear submarine ‘Emperor Alexander III’ successfully fired the intercontinental ballistic missile ‘Boulava'” from the White Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The missile reached its target located at a test range on the Kamchatka peninsula, in the far east of Russia, at the “scheduled time,” said the same source, cited by AFP.
With a range of 8,000 kilometers and 12 meters in length, the ‘Boulava’ (SS-NX-30 in NATO classification) can be equipped with 10 nuclear warheads.
According to the Russian military, the submarine ‘Emperor Alexander III’ is equipped with 16 ‘Boulava’ missiles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law on the 2nd that revokes the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
Russian officials said the revocation does not mean Russia will resume nuclear testing, at least for now, as “the moratorium remains” in place, according to the Spanish news agency EFE.
Source: TSF
