A Russian submarine test-fired a missile from under water in the Arctic and reportedly hit all of its "designated targets," according to the country's news agency TASS.
The underwater missile cruiser Yuri Dolgoruky, part of the Russian Northern Fleet's Project 955, was involved in the test made from the Barents Sea and struck targets at the Kura practice range in Kamchatka, Russia.
"The launch was made from the submerged position in compliance with a combat training plan," the Russian defense ministry said. "The parameters of the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile's flight trajectory were practiced in the normal regime.”
"According to the confirmed data of the registering equipment, the warheads of the intercontinental ballistic missile performed a full cycle of the flight and successfully hit the designated targets at the practice range."
The Mirror said the Kalibr missile used in the test can carry nuclear or conventional payloads and travels at speeds up to Mach 2.9 – the same as a space shuttle during launch.
"The hit marked a rare success and a sign of further progress, as the Bulava missile project has had a troubled first decade since its start in 2004," said Newsweek’s Damien Sharvok.
"The last launch took place in September, when the second of two rounds of missiles did not complete the full launch cycle, self-detonating before hitting the target."
Russia formed its Arctic Joint Strategic Command in 2014 in hopes of strengthening its claims in the Arctic region. The country opened its latest Arctic military base in April.
The United States, Canada, Denmark, and Norway – all members of NATO – also have claims over the region. A United Nations arbitration agency is hearing the claims from all the countries, according to Newsweek.
U.S. Navy Adm. Mark Ferguson told CNN in April that Russia has deployed its ballistic missiles and attack submarines in numbers, range, and aggression not seen in two decades.
"NATO is viewed as an existential threat to Russia, and in the post-Cold War period, the expansion of NATO eastward closer to Russia and our military capability they view as a very visceral threat to Russia," Ferguson told CNN.
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