Russia Claims on Verge of New Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile

Russia is on the verge of a new Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), the country's military has revealed.

The announcement about the development of its latest ICBM has come for the first time from the Russian military although speculation has been doing the rounds.

"The availability of a powerful liquid-fueled ICBM allows us the capability of creating a strategic high-accuracy weapons system with a conventional payload with practically global range, if the US does not pull back from its programme for creating such missile systems," said the rocket forces commander, General Sergei Karakayev, according to Russia's state media RIA Novosti.

The new ICBM which is under development will be liquid-propelled and is likely to be in operation in the "near future." Russia hopes that the latest missile will give it more strategic clout.

Karakayev said: "The higher energy provided by liquid fuels gives it more varied and effective methods of countermeasures against global missile defence screens including space-based elements of those systems."

Russian forces have already carried out a "small number" of test-firings of its new weapon, the latest test being on 24 October.

"This missile was built with maximal use of technologies developed in the course of producing fifth-generation systems in order to get it into service more quickly and reduce costs," said Karakayev.