(Reuters) – A new nuclear-powered submarine that is soon set to enter service with the Russian navy has successfully fired a ballistic missile as part of final testing, the defence ministry said on Thursday.
In a statement, the ministry said the Generalissimus Suvorov had launched a Bulava intercontinental missile in the northern White Sea with a dummy payload that reached a test site in the Far East Russian region of Kamchatka.
The Bulava is designed to carry a nuclear warhead.
The Generalissimus Suvorov is the second Borei-A class submarine to be built. Moscow says it is equipped with cutting-edge navigation, radio engineering, sonar, and missile and torpedo weaponry systems.
Russian President Vladimir Putin made two speeches in September in which he indicated that he would, if needed, use nuclear weapons to defend Russia in its war in Ukraine, which his forces invaded eight months ago.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Grant McCool)
