Russia test fires long-range missile

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Source: CCTV.com | 10-13-2008 08:50

Russia has test-launched a long-range Topol missile to Kamchatka peninsula.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev watched the test fire of the 21-year-old missile on Sunday.

Russia has test-launched a long-range Topol missile to Kamchatka peninsula.(CCTV.com)

Medvedev oversaw the intercontinental missile launch from Russia's northern forests and soar towards a target thousands of kilometers away.

He also vowed to commission new generation weapons for Russia's armed forces.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russian President, said, "We will continue to commission new types of weapons but we will also continue testing the ones we currently have. Their effectiveness has been proved by time. Our shield is fine. Thanks for your service."

The truck-mounted Topol was fired at 7 am from the Plesetsk cosmodrome.

Half an hour later it hit the Kura testing site, 6000 kilometers away on the Kamchatka peninsula in the Pacific.

The RS-12M Topol, known as the SS-25 Sickle by NATO, has a maximum range of 10,000 kilometers.

The launch was carried out as part of the so-called Stability-2008 exercises conducted with Belarus from September the 22nd to October the 21st.

Russian nuclear submarines also successfully test fired two ballistic missiles from the Pacific Ocean and Barents Sea on Sunday to targets inside Russia.

It was the first time a submarine launched the Sineva ballistic missile to its maximum range.