The Borei-class submarine “successfully fired” the missile from a location off Russia’s northern coast.
Russia says it has successfully test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads from one of its submarines.
Sunday’s launch comes just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a withdrawal from his ratification of the global nuclear test ban treaty. Moscow argued that this step was necessary to bring it into line with the United States.
“The new nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine cruiser Emperor Alexander the Third successfully fired the sea-based Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile,” the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The missile, designed to carry up to six nuclear warheads, according to the Federation of American Scientists, was fired from an underwater position in the White Sea off Russia’s northern coast and hit a target thousands of kilometers away on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East.
The Kaiser Alexander the Third is one of Russia’s new Borei-class nuclear submarines, which each carry 16 Bulava missiles and are more maneuverable and quieter than previous models.
According to the Defense Ministry, the Russian Navy currently has three Borei-class submarines in service, intended to be the key naval component of the country’s nuclear forces. Another submarine is currently being tested and three more are under construction.
“The launch of a ballistic missile is the final element of state tests, after which a decision is made on accepting the cruiser into the Navy,” the ministry statement said.
The 12-meter-long Bulava missile was designed as the backbone of Moscow’s nuclear triad and has a range of more than 8,000 kilometers.
Since coming to power in 1999, Putin has increased military spending and sought to rebuild Russia’s nuclear and conventional forces after the chaos that accompanied the fall of the Soviet Union more than 30 years ago.
Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has severely damaged its relations with the United States and the European Union, which have also been alarmed by Putin’s willingness to escalate nuclear rhetoric. Last month he said he was not ready to say whether Russia should resume nuclear testing.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that relations with the US were below zero.
“Relations are at zero — or I would say below zero,” Peskov said, but added that the leaders of Russia and the United States would have to resume contact at some point.
“Putin has repeatedly stated that he is ready for any contacts,” Peskov said.
The 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty bans all nuclear explosions, including live tests of nuclear weapons, although major countries – including the United States and China – have never ratified it.
Earlier this year, Russia also suspended participation in the New START Treaty, the last major nuclear arms control treaty between Moscow and Washington, but said it would continue to respect nuclear weapons limits set in the treaty.