Russia carries out successful test launch of Yars intercontinental ballistic missile

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russia said on Friday said it conducted a successful test launch of the Yars intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Defense Ministry in a statement said a Yars missile with multiple independently targetable warheads was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome spaceport to Kura Missile Test Range in the eastern region of Kamchatka. The distance between the two regions exceeds 6,700 km (4,181 miles).

"The purpose of the launch was to confirm the tactical, technical and flight characteristics of this modern missile system. All the tasks have been completed in full," the ministry said.

Yars is a Russian thermonuclear armed intercontinental ballistic missile with multiple independently targetable warheads, capable of hitting targets at a distance of more than 11,000 km.