Russia Tests Long-Range Missile To Counter NATO Missile Shield

The new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) – which doesn’t even have a name yet – is reportedly designed to penetrate the NATO shield, the presence of which Russian government officials strongly objected to during the recent security summit in Chicago.

The western alliance alarmed Russian figures further by declaring that their shield had reached interim operational capability. In response the Russians have threatened to point its own missiles at NATO targets in Europe.

This is one of the... measures being developed by Russia's military and political leadership in response to the U.S. deployment of a global anti-missile system, former strategic forces director Viktor Yesin told the Interfax news agency.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has boasted that his country’s missile system would represent an “asymmetrical and highly efficient response” to the NATO missile shield complex.

The Russian missile carried a dummy warhead and was fired from a distance of 3730 miles. Reportedly, a previous test of the same missile failed last September.

An official with Russia’s defence ministry said the warhead was delivered successfully to the Kura range on Kamchatka in the easternmost point of the huge country.

Another Russian military source told Interfax that the new ICBM used a new type of fuel that helps reduce the time required to operate the propellants in the active stage of the rocket's trajectory.”

Russia’s RT news agency reported that the new missile is an advanced version of the Topol-M and Yars missiles, which are already deployed by the Russian Strategic Missile Forces.

Western officials’ claims that the NATO missile shield is meant to withstand a potential missile attack from rogue states like Iran fell on deaf ears in Moscow, who view it as a threat to its own security and sovereignty.