Russia Tests Long Range Missile Which Is Capable Of Carrying Nuclear Warheads

Russian military officials have successfully tested a missile that can carry multiple nuclear warheads across thousands of miles to its intended target. It's the second test in 10 days by the world's largest nation, intended to reaffirm the reliability of the missile which was first rolled out seven years ago.

Credit: CEN

A statement from the defense ministry said: 'At the experimental space site Plesetsk, a combat crew of the Yoshkar-Ola missile unit carried out a test launch of the solid propellant mobile-based intercontinental missile (ICBM) RS-24 Yars with a multiple re-entry vehicle.

"The warheads reached the designated area at the Kura proving ground in the Kamchatka Peninsula. All tasks have been coped with in full."

After launching from an area in Russia's north, it struck its target 3,600 miles away in the far east of the county. However, Military Today claims that the missile can reach locations as far away as 7,500 miles.

According to the Daily Mail, the missile can be launched from a ground site or mobile vehicle. More concerningly, they can avoid defence systems by launching decoy rockets to attract enemy fire.

The test closes out the Zapad 2017 war games, a show of strength described as the country's largest since the Cold War. It's a joint mission with Belarus, which involves nearly 13,000 Russian troops, 70 planes and helicopters 280 tanks, 200 artillery weapons and 10 war ships, according to Vox.

Credit: PA

Credit: PA

Credit: PA

But officials outside Russia believe there could be as many as 100,000 soldiers taking part. This would break the law requiring a formal invitation to be sent to foreign dignitaries for any military exercise involving more than 13,000 troops.

Lithuania's Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis has told Reuters: "We can't be totally calm. There is a large foreign army massed next to Lithuanian territory."

Vox also notes that the last Zapad war games were held in 2013, just prior to Russia invading Ukraine and annexing Crimea. It's also a chance to show the world how much military strength a country has - much like America's and North Korea's recent missile tests.

Sources: Daily Mail, Vox, Reuters

Featured Image Credit: PA/CEN

Topics: nuclear, military, Russia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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