MOSCOW, July 26. /TASS/. Yars mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launchers embarked on combat patrols in the Irkutsk region in Eastern Siberia as part of the drills that kicked off for the Strategic Missile Force, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

"In the course of the drills, Yars road-mobile missile systems of the Irkutsk missile formation embarked on combat patrol routes. The Yars missile regiments assumed field positions and went on combat alert," the ministry said in a statement.

The drills also involve 10 items of advanced special hardware, including materiel of engineering, defense and security, radiation, chemical and biological protection units, the statement says.

"Overall, more than 1,000 personnel of the Strategic Missile Force and about 100 items of military hardware are engaged in the drills of the Irkutsk missile formation," the ministry said.

The RS-24 Yars is a Russian strategic missile system comprising a mobile or silo-based solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile with MIRVed (multiple independently targetable vehicle) warheads. The Yars is a modification of the Topol-M missile system. Russia started deploying Yars ICBM systems from 2009 when the Yars launcher was accepted for experimental combat duty in the Strategic Missile Force.