Russia’s new nuclear submarine take a look at launches Bulava intercontinental missile

Nov 5 (Reuters) – Russia’s new nuclear-powered submarine Imperator Alexander III carried out a profitable take a look at launch of the Bulava ballistic missile, designed to hold nuclear warheads, the Russian defence ministry mentioned on Sunday.

“Firing a ballistic missile is the ultimate component of state assessments, after which a choice might be made to simply accept the cruiser into the Navy,” the defence ministry mentioned in an announcement on the Telegram messaging app.

President Vladimir Putin has been pushing for Russia to keep up its nuclear deterrent to counter what he calls rising safety threats, as ties between Moscow and the West have hit new lows over the warfare Russia launched in Ukraine in 2022.

The intercontinental missile, launched from an underwater place within the White Sea off Russia’s northern coast, hit a goal hundreds of kilometres away on the Kamchatka peninsula within the Russian Far East, it mentioned.

The ministry didn’t say when the take a look at occurred.

The Borei class strategic-missile cruiser is provided with 16 Bulava missiles and fashionable torpedo weapons, it mentioned.

Putin took half in a ceremony in December setting the Imperator Alexander III afloat, TASS state information company mentioned.

The navy has three nuclear-powered submarines of the Borei class in service – one is finishing assessments and three extra are beneath development, the defence ministry mentioned.

The 12-metre (40-foot) lengthy Bulava missile, which has an estimated vary of round 8,000 km (5,000 miles) and might carry as much as six nuclear warheads, has change into the cornerstone within the naval a part of Russia’s nuclear triad.

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