A Russian nuclear-powered submarine has successfully test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, hitting a target around 6,000 km away on the other side of the country, the Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday.
The Bulava missile was launched from a submerged position by the Generalissimus Suvorov strategic missile submarine in the Far Eastern Sea of Okhotsk, near the Kamchatka Peninsula, as part of a scheduled combat training exercise.
The missile’s warheads reached the designated Chizha test range on the Kanin Peninsula in Russia’s Arkhangelsk Region, 5,500-6,000 km from the launch area. The ministry said monitoring data confirmed that the warheads arrived at their target area on schedule, declaring the exercise a success.
The ministry also released dramatic footage of the launch. The video shows the submarine cruising at sea before cutting to crew members operating control systems inside the vessel. A close-up captures the press of a launch button, followed by a nighttime shot of a blazing missile erupting from the water and streaking skyward.
The R-30 Bulava (NATO designation SS-N-32) is a submarine-launched ballistic missile designed to serve as one of the mainstays of Russia’s sea-based nuclear deterrent. Developed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology and officially adopted into service in May 2024, the solid-fuel missile has a reported maximum range of around 9,300 km.
Weighing approximately 37 tons, the Bulava is designed to carry multiple independently targetable nuclear warheads. It also incorporates measures intended to help it penetrate missile defenses, including a relatively short boost phase and maneuverable reentry vehicles.
The Generalissimus Suvorov is a fourth-generation Project 955A Borei-A nuclear-powered submarine assigned to Russia’s Pacific Fleet and based in Kamchatka. Built at the Sevmash shipyard, the vessel can carry up to 16 Bulava ballistic missiles, alongside torpedo armaments.
The Borei and upgraded Borei-A submarines form a key component of Russia’s strategic nuclear modernization program, replacing aging Soviet-era missile carriers. Russia currently operates eight submarines of the two classes, with additional vessels under construction.
Wednesday’s launch was intended to test the crew’s combat readiness and the submarine’s missile systems, according to the Defense Ministry.
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