The Topol intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was launched as part of the Stability 2008 military exercises. The missile’s warhead destroyed its target at the Kura Test Ground in Kamchatka Region (Russian Far East).
Commander of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces Col. General Nikolai Solovtsov told the President that the Topol missile, which forms the basis of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces, stands out for its maneuverability and the rapidity with which it can be prepared for launch.
Mr Medvedev congratulated the servicemen involved on the successful launch.
Later, the President inspected the Plesetsk Space Launch Centre’s main facilities, in particular the Angara universal launch installation, from on board a helicopter.
The Plesetsk Space Launch Centre is located in the north of European Russia 180 kilometres south of Arkhangelsk. It was founded in 1960 and has been carrying out space-related activities since 1966. It carries out launches of unmanned space craft for Russia’s main defence, economic, agricultural and scientific research space programmes and also carries out commercial launches. It is the world’s northernmost space launch centre.