Russia tests interceptor missile
December 21st, 2011 - 7:01 am ICT by IANSMoscow, Dec 21 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Russia has carried out a successful test of a short-range interceptor missile as a part of its effort to develop a domestic missile defence shield, the defence ministry said.
The missile was launched Tuesday from the Sary-Shagan shooting range in Kazakhstan, a spokesperson said.
The goal of the test was to confirm the technical characteristics of the missile used by the ministry’s Space Command.
The test comes a month after President Dmitry Medvedev said that if Moscow’s participation in the European missile defence project fails, Russia would deploy Iskander tactical missiles in the Kaliningrad region and halt its disarmament and arms control efforts, including participation in the new strategic arms reduction treaty with the US.
Russia-NATO missile defence talks are close to deadlock as Moscow is seeking written, legally binding guarantees that the US-backed European missile defence programme will not be directed against it.
Washington, however, refuses to provide the guarantees, saying the shield is directed against threats from Iran and North Korea.
Russia and NATO agreed to cooperate on European missile defence system at a summit in Lisbon in November 2010. Medvedev proposed a joint system with full-scale inter-operability to ensure that the alliance’s system will not be directed against Moscow. The military bloc, however, favours two independent systems which exchange information.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
pm
- Russia will counter US missile defence: Medvedev - Feb 22, 2012
- Russia wants missile defence guarantees - Jun 02, 2012
- Moscow reiterates its missile defence posture - Aug 21, 2012
- Russia unveils anti-missile radar in Kaliningrad - Nov 29, 2011
- US vows to go ahead with missile shield - May 11, 2012
- NATO commander to talk Euro missile shield in Moscow - Oct 10, 2011
- US, Russia to continue missile defence talks - Aug 09, 2011
- Russia to target European missile shield if talks fail - Nov 23, 2011
- Russia expects US compromise on missile defense - Oct 27, 2011
- Medvedev, Obama to discuss missile defence - Nov 11, 2011
- Russia, NATO to hold missile defence drills - Feb 02, 2012
- Poland wants to build own missile defence - Aug 12, 2012
- Russia outlines its vision of European missile shield - Apr 29, 2011
- Russia, US may not agree on missile defence in Obama's tenure: US envoy - May 28, 2011
- Russia-NATO missile shield talks stalled ahead of 2012 summit - Oct 31, 2011
Tags: control efforts, deadlock, defence ministry, defence project, dmitry medvedev, independent systems, interceptor missile, kaliningrad region, missile defence shield, missile defence system, nato missile, operability, range interceptor, ria novosti russia, s system, sary, shooting range, space command, tactical missiles, technical characteristics