While the earth is still spinning

The latest strategic and operational-tactical cruise missiles have been successfully tested in Russia that can overcome all existing, as well as promising missile defense systems. As Interfax reports, such a statement was made in Znamensk by the First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Sergey Ivanov.

He said that on Tuesday from the Plesetsk cosmodrome, a strategic missile was launched from the mobile ground-based missile system of strategic destination "Topol-M", equipped not by the only monoblock, but by a warhead with separating head units. According to Ivanov, the launch was successful and at the Kur's training ground in Kamchatka by means of visual and technical control, the arrival of all combat blocks was recorded.

The Deputy Prime Minister also said that on Tuesday at the training ground in the Astrakhan region, the first preliminary tests of a winged high-precision rack-range missile, intended for the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system, took place.

According to Ivanov, winged missiles for the Iskander-M complex will go to the series since 2009. “Over the next one and a half years, we must complete not only preliminary, but also state flight tests,” he said. “And starting in 2009, rockets will go to the complex.”

The First Deputy Prime Minister did not exclude the possibility that Russia will put up a more-range missile to itself than is still allowed by the Soviet-American agreement. “I will not call specific numbers in range, but it is increased, while it fits into the obligations that Russia has taken upon itself, but for now,” ITAR -TASS quotes it.

Ivanov noted that the missiles of the Iskander-M complex are capable of working on a hinged, ballistic, as well as a flooring trajectory. Answering the question about the export potential of the Iskander -E complex, Ivanov said: “There is a certain intelligence. But the range of complexes intended for export is not more than 300 km, and those that we do for our own army is another question.”

The US administration has abandoned comments in connection with testing of Russian missiles. According to RIA Novosti, the Deputy Official Representative of the US State Department Tom Casey said that he had seen reports of launches, but has not yet confirmed anything. "I am sure that people in the Pentagon and in other places will study it," he said.

At the same time, he again repeated the position of Washington that the US system deployed in Europe was not directed against Russia. “None of what we proposed or planned, in any way and in any way, is, of course, a threat to the strategic potential of Russia and should not be perceived as such,” said Casey.