Russia’s new nuclear-powered submarine, the Imperator Alexander III, carried out a successful test launch of the Bulava ballistic missile, designed to carry nuclear warheads, the Russian Ministry of Defense said yesterday.
“Firing a ballistic missile is the final element of state tests, after which a decision will be made to accept the cruiser into the Navy,” the ministry said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been pushing for Russia to maintain its nuclear deterrence to counter what he calls growing security threats, as ties between Moscow and the West have hit new lows over the war Russia launched in Ukraine last year.
The intercontinental missile, launched from an underwater position in the White Sea off Russia’s northern coast, hit a target thousands of kilometers away on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East, it said.
The ministry did not say when the test took place.
The Borei-class strategic-missile cruiser is equipped with 16 Bulava missiles and modern torpedo weapons, it said.
Putin took part in a launching ceremony in December last year setting the Imperator Alexander III afloat, Russia’s TASS state news agency said.
The navy has three nuclear-powered submarines of the Borei-class in service — one is completing tests and three more are under construction, the ministry said.
The 12m-long Bulava missile, which has an estimated range of about 8,000km and can carry up to six nuclear warheads, has become the cornerstone in the naval component of Russia’s nuclear triad.
Shamans in Peru on Monday gathered for an annual New Year’s ritual where they made predictions for the year to come, including illness for US President Donald Trump and the downfall of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. “The United States should prepare itself because Donald Trump will fall seriously ill,” Juan de Dios Garcia proclaimed as he gathered with other shamans on a beach in southern Lima, dressed in traditional Andean ponchos and headdresses, and sprinkling flowers on the sand. The shamans carried large posters of world leaders, over which they crossed swords and burned incense, some of which they stomped on. In this
‘NO COUNTRY BUMPKIN’: The judge rejected arguments that former prime minister Najib Razak was an unwitting victim, saying Najib took steps to protect his position Imprisoned former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was yesterday convicted, following a corruption trial tied to multibillion-dollar looting of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state investment fund. The nation’s high court found Najib, 72, guilty on four counts of abuse of power and 21 charges of money laundering related to more than US$700 million channeled into his personal bank accounts from the 1MDB fund. Najib denied any wrongdoing, and maintained the funds were a political donation from Saudi Arabia and that he had been misled by rogue financiers led by businessman Low Taek Jho. Low, thought to be the scandal’s mastermind, remains
Near the entrance to the Panama Canal, a monument to China’s contributions to the interoceanic waterway was torn down on Saturday night by order of local authorities. The move comes as US President Donald Trump has made threats in the past few months to retake control of the canal, claiming Beijing has too much influence in its operations. In a surprising move that has been criticized by leaders in Panama and China, the mayor’s office of the locality of Arraijan ordered the demolition of the monument built in 2004 to symbolize friendship between the countries. The mayor’s office said in
FIGHTING CONTINUES: Thai military dropped 40 bombs on border areas, Cambodia said, while Bangkok said Phnom Penh launched heavy attacks and damaged homes Cambodia yesterday accused Thailand of intensifying its bombardment of disputed border areas, even as officials from the two countries attend a multi-day meeting aimed at negotiating an end to deadly clashes. The neighbors’ long-standing border conflict reignited this month, shattering an earlier truce and killing more than 40 people, according to official counts. About 1 million people have also been displaced. Cambodian and Thai officials were in their third day of talks at a border checkpoint, with ministers of defense from the two countries scheduled to meet today. However, the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense said Thailand’s military carried out a heavy
RSS