Top Arms Exporter Russia Successfully Launches Missile

According to Russian state news agency Itar-Tass, a nuclear-powered submarine has successfully test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile.

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The Yuri Dolgoruky vessel reportedly carried out the exercise in the Barents Sea in the Arctic. The ship is one of Russia’s most significant operating in the region earmarked for military development by Moscow. Russian Admiral Viktor Chirkov pointed out that the advancements would include modernizing facilities and military coverage of the North Sea route.

On Monday, the sub launched a Bulava missile in the northwest region of Russia and found a target on the other side of the country, according to the news agency.

“The launch was carried out from an underwater position in accordance with the combat readiness plan,” a statement from the Ministry of Defense reported in Itar-Tass.

The launch was lauded as a success when it “hit the designated targets on the course.”

This target-hit signals significant progress, considering the missile project has largely been a failure since it began more than a decade ago. A launch had taken place in September but did not achieve the desired outcome, as the missiles self-detonated before reaching the target.

Russia is one of five countries with a territorial claim over the Arctic, and as part of strengthening its hand in the region, Moscow formed an Artic Joint Strategic Command in 2014.

The other four countries that have claims on the area are all North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members – the United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway.

Russia among top 5 arms exporter

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia is among the five biggest exporters of major armaments in 2012-2016, during which the country supplied weapons to 50 states.

Since 2000, Russia has sold about 50 warships, with a price tag of $24 billion, according to the country's agency for exports and imports of defense-related products.

"One-third of them were submarines," Alexander Mikheyev, the Director General of Rosoboronexport said in a statement.

Rosoboronexport, the state intermediary agency for Russia's exports/imports of defense-related and dual use end products, is expected to sign new contracts at the upcoming 8th International Maritime Defense Show which commence on Wednesday in St. Petersburg.

Mikheyev stated that warships accounted for around 12 percent of total arms exports by the agency.

The combined arms sales of the 11 Russian companies in 2015 Top 100 was $30.1 billion, representing 8.1 percent of the total Top 100 arms sales for 2015, according to SIPRI's December report.

SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament.