MOSCOW, July 28. /TASS/. Topol-M and Yars mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) systems embarked on combat patrol in drills that kicked off for the Strategic Missile Force in the Ivanovo Region, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Tuesday.

"The drills of the Strategic Missile Force started in the Ivanovo Region. During the maneuvers, the autonomous launchers of Topol-M and Yars mobile missile systems entered combat patrol routes," the ministry said in a statement.

The maneuvers involve about 100 items of military hardware, Russia’s Defense Ministry specified for TASS.

"A column of Yars road-mobile missile systems overcame a notionally contaminated terrain section during the march. Under the drills’ scenario, notional saboteurs used chemical agents at distant approaches to field positions," the statement says.

After the military hardware exited the radioactive contamination area, the radiological, chemical and biological protection troops carried out full-scale disinfection of the missile systems’ hardware, including the autonomous launchers, the ministry said.

During the drills, the personnel also detected, blocked and eliminated notional saboteurs, employing, in particular, the latest Taifun-M combat anti-sabotage vehicles equipped with drones, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.

The RS-24 Yars is a Russian strategic missile system comprising a mobile or silo-based solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile with MIRV (multiple independently targetable vehicle) warheads. The ICBM was developed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology under the supervision of academician at the Russian Academy of Sciences Yuri Solomonov. The Yars is a modification of the Topol-M missile system.