(Moscow) Russia conducted a test launch of an “advanced” intercontinental ballistic missile on Tuesday, a few weeks after announcing the suspension of its participation in the nuclear disarmament treaty which binds it to the Americans.
A “combat” unit successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)” from the Kapustin Yar test site, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
“The missile’s training warhead hit a fictitious target at the Sary Shagan training ground (Republic of Kazakhstan),” the statement added, without specifying the type of ICBM used.
The ministry nevertheless specified that the exercise was intended “to test advanced combat equipment”.
“This launch confirmed the accuracy of the circuit design and technical solutions used in the development of new strategic missile systems,” the same source said.
Since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly hinted that the use of nuclear weapons was not excluded if Russia were to be threatened.
The latest example, on March 25, when he announced that Moscow was going to deploy “tactical” nuclear weapons in Belarus, its ally in the conflict, causing concern in Kyiv and the West.
At the end of February, the two chambers of the Russian Parliament also acted on the suspension of the New Start nuclear disarmament treaty, signed in 2010. This is the last bilateral nuclear disarmament agreement between Russians and Americans where the parties had agreed to limit their nuclear stocks and comply with mutual inspections.
Both decisions were strongly condemned by NATO.
Vladimir Putin had promised at the end of February the commissioning this year of the latest intercontinental ballistic missile, the Sarmat, described as a weapon capable of “thwarting all anti-aircraft systems” and which “will make those who try to threaten Russia.