Russia on Friday successfully test fired its nuclear-capable Bulava ballistic missile in the hope of making it into the backbone of a more streamlined but effective new nuclear force. The defence ministry said the 37 tonne inter-continental missile was fired from the Yury Dolgoruky submarine in the White Sea. It hit its target on the Kamchatka Peninsula some 6,000 kilometres (3,700 miles) to the east.
"The launch was performed from a submerged position," an unnamed defence ministry official told Russian news agencies. The latest Russian missile can travel at least 8,000 kilometres and is equipped to carry multiple warheads that can each maneuver to hit separate targets. The Bulava (Mace) is meant to replace Soviet-era missiles that Russia is decommissioning with age and under agreements with the United States.