Russia Successfully Holds Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Launch Test After Suspension Of Nuclear Weapons Control Agreement

ICBM Topol-M Russia. (Wikimedia Commons/Vitaly V. Kuzmin)

JAKARTA - Strategic Missile Troops successfully conducted an intercontinental ballistic missile test (ICBM) from the Kapustin Yar training ground in Russia's Astrakhan Region, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"On April 11, 2023, the Strategic Missile Forces combat crew successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from the ground-based mobile missile system," the report said, launching TASS April 12.

The Ministry of Defense did not mention the type of missile used in the launch, but experts believe it is a Topol-M system, as reported by The National News.

The launch aims to test the supply of advanced military intercontinental ballistic missiles, the ministry said, adding that "launching allows to prove that the solutions used in the development of new strategic missile complexes are appropriate."

The Ministry of Defense added that the training warhead used in the exercise was successful in hitting targets in Sary-Shagan, Kazakhstan.

The exercise came after Russia in February suspended its participation in a nuclear arms control agreement with the United States and was criticized by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Last February, President Vladimir Putin announced the suspension of a bilateral nuclear arms control agreement, announcing a new strategic system had been placed on combat duty, as well as warning Moscow could resume nuclear tests.

He also announced the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia's neighboring country, less than three weeks ago, which brought nuclear weapons to the threshold of the European Union.

Since sending troops to Ukraine last year, President Putin has issued a veiled warning if he can use nuclear weapons if Russia is threatened.

The Strategic Missile Forces have carried out a test-launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile from the Kapustin Yar training ground in Russia’s Astrakhan Region, the Defense Ministry reported:https://t.co/zXjt934BtT pic.twitter.com/6s5s1A04mA

— TASS (@tassagency_en) April 12, 2023