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Russia’s nuclear submarine successfully test-fires Bulava missiles

On May 22, Russia's nuclear submarine Yuri Dolgoruky made a successful test launch of four Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles from the White Sea

SEVEROMORSK, May 22. /TASS/. Russia’s Project 955 Borei-class strategic nuclear submarine Yuri Dolgoruky has successfully test fired four Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles from the White Sea to hit designated targets at the Kura range in the Far Eastern Kamchatka region, the press service of the Russian Northern Fleet said on Tuesday.

"On May 22, the Project 955 Borei-class lead strategic nuclear submarine Yuri Dolgoruky made a successful test salvo launch of four Bulava ballistic missiles from the designated area in the White Sea to targets at the Kura range on the Kamchatka Peninsula," the press service said.

According to the press service, the missiles were launched from a submerged position. It was the first salvo fire from this type of submarines.

"The test confirmed combat readiness of the Project-955 Borei strategic submarine and the Bulava missile system," the press service stressed.

The previous Bulava test launch from the Yuri Dolgoruky submarine was conducted on June 26, 2017 from the Barents Sea and an experimental salvo launch of two such missiles was carried out on September 27, 2016. The launch was performed from the White Sea towards the Kura practice range in the Russian Far East.

The warheads of the first missile performed a full cycle of the flight program and successfully hit the designated targets at the practice range. The second missile self-liquidated after performing the first stage of the flight program.

The submarine Yuri Dolgoruky is the Project 955 Borey-class lead vessel. The underwater cruiser is armed with a set of Bulava sea-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles and also with torpedoes. The sub can be armed with cruise missiles. It has a full displacement of 24,000 tonnes, is about 160 meters long and 13 meters wide.

The R-30 Bulava is a solid-propellant ballistic missile developed specially for Project 955 submarines. It can deliver 10 warheads of 150 kilotonnes each to a distance of 10,000 kilometers.