Ukraine has said that Russia’s recent rocket tests have failed as Moscow boasted it had successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying up to six nuclear warheads.
There are heightened nuclear tensions between Russia and the U.S. over the war that President Vladimir Putin started as Moscow has regularly made veiled threats about its weapons capabilities. Last week, the U.S. Air Force said it had safely destroyed an unarmed LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, shortly after midnight on November 1, off the coast of California, which has prompted mockery from several Russian sources.
Moscow said on Sunday that the strategic nuclear submarine the Imperator Alexander III fired the Bulava ICBM from the White Sea off the northern coast of Russia and struck a target thousands of miles away on the far eastern Kamchatka peninsula.
In a post on its Telegram channel, the Defense Ministry said that the launch was “part of the final stage of the state testing program” and that the rocket warheads “arrived in the designated area at the expected time.”
Screen grab from Russian Ministry of Defense
“Firing a ballistic missile is the final element of state tests, after which a decision will be made on accepting the cruiser into the Navy,” added the statement next to the unverified video of what it said was a launch, although it was unclear when it took place.
The Imperator Alexander III is one of three new Borei-class nuclear submarines currently in service that carry 16 Bulava missiles each and are the main naval components of Russia’s nuclear forces.
Despite Moscow touting its missile capabilities, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense said the day before that recent Russian missile testing had failed.
In a Telegram post on Saturday, Ukraine said that on November 1, Russia had “conducted an unsuccessful test” of a Yars ICBM, which is the main ground component of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces and had been conducted from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the northwestern Arkhangelsk region.
“The Yars missile went off course,” Ukrainian intelligence said, just as it did on October 25 during a test launch of the RSM-56 “Mace” Bulava ballistic missile from an underwater Borei missile cruiser.
“Moscow also has serious problems, with its RS-28 Sarmat ICBM,” Ukrainian intelligence said, according to a translation, which described it as an “incomplete, crude rocket.” Kyiv said that Russia’s missile program was being hampered by Western sanctions imposed since the start of the full-scale invasion which have impacted its ability to access the technology and components it requires.
“The difficulties of the aggressor state of Russia and its intentions to improve the air component of the strategic nuclear forces remain insurmountable,” Ukrainian intelligence said.
The independent Russian news outlet Sirena recently reported that at least six missile tests have been unsuccessful since June 30.
Newsweek has contacted the Russian Defense Ministry by email for comment.
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