Russia tests missile, official says U.S. missile-defense plans a threat

Published: Apr 22, 2006
Source: english.pravda.ru



Russia test-launched a missile on Saturday and a military commander said U.S. missile-defense plans could threaten the strategic balance between the former Cold War foes, Russian news agencies reported.

Russia's Strategic Rocket Forces, which are responsible for the country's ballistic missiles, successfully launched the K65M-R missile from a testing ground at Kapustin Yar in the southern Astrakhan region, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

The commander of the forces, Col.-Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov, said the main purpose of the launch was to test "a uniform warhead for land- and sea-based ballistic missiles" and newly developed elements of a system designed to penetrate missile defenses, Interfax reported.

Solovtsov said that plans for a U.S. missile-defense system "could upset strategic stability," the agency reported, suggesting that the test was part of an effort to ensure that Russian missiles are capable of foiling any U.S. shield. He said the test involved optic and radar measurement systems that reproduce similar U.S. systems, according to Interfax.continue..