Russia tested a “modern” intercontinental missile

Russia announced that it had “successfully” conducted test firing from an “advanced” intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) weeks after suspending its participation in a nuclear arms control treaty with the United States.

A Defense Department statement on Tuesday said that “the battle group successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from rocket system ground mobile” at the Kapustin Yar cosmodrome.

“The warhead of the test missile accurately hit the training target at the Sary-Shagan training ground (Republic of Kazakhstan),” the report says.

Since the offensive in Ukraine began last year, President Vladimir Putin has threatened that he might use nuclear weapons if Russia he felt in danger.

In late February, the Kremlin leader announced the suspension of his participation in the New START Nuclear Disarmament Treaty signed with the United States.

And less than three weeks ago, Putin announced that he would deploy tactical nuclear weapons in his ally and neighbor Belarus, bringing those weapons to the doorstep of Ukraine and the European Union.

Both decisions drew condemnation from NATO.

Although the Russian ministry did not specify what type of missiles were used on Tuesday, it noted that the purpose of the exercises “was to test the advanced combat equipment of the armed forces.” intercontinental ballistic missiles”.

“The launch made it possible to confirm the correctness of the circuitry and technical solutions used in the development of new strategic missile systems,” the ministry added.

Russia says it notified the US of the launch.

Authorities Russia assured this Wednesday that they had notified the United States of the launch intercontinental ballistic missileafter Moscow confirmed that the suspension of obligations under the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) also affected notifications, therefore, did not consider itself obliged to inform Washington about its tests.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov indicated that “all notifications of ICBM and submarine-launched ballistic missile launches were sent as usual,” Russian news agency Interfax reported.

The president Russia, Vladimir Putin announced in February the suspension of New START in the midst of escalating political tensions over the war in Ukraine. Without this treaty, the arsenals of the world’s two largest nuclear powers are technically unlimited, which is unprecedented since the 1970s. (According to AFP, EFE and Europapress)