MOSCOW, March 10 (RIA Novosti) - A missile battalion
equipped with mobile Topol-M (SS-27 Stalin) ICBMs has been put
on combat duty in central Russia, a spokesman for the Russian
Missile Forces (SMF) said on Tuesday.
The first two Topol-M mobile missile battalions, equipped
with six road-mobile systems, had already been put on combat
duty with the 54th Strategic Missile Division near the town of
Teikovo, about 150 miles (240 km) northeast of Moscow.
"Another missile battalion equipped with mobile Topol-M
missile systems and comprising three launchers and a command
unit has been put on combat duty with the Teikovo missile
division in the Ivanovo Region," Col. Alexander Vovk said.
The SMF commander, Col. Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov, earlier
said that Russia's Topol-M ballistic missiles would be put on
combat duty on schedule despite the current global financial
crisis. He added that the division will be up to full strength
by 2010.
Topol-M missiles are the mainstay of the ground-based
component of Russia's nuclear triad. As of the beginning of
2009, the SMF operated 50 silo-based and six road-mobile
Topol-M missile systems.
The missile, with a range of about 7,000 miles (11,000
km), is said to be immune to any current and future U.S. ABM
defense. It is capable of making evasive maneuvers to avoid a
kill using terminal phase interceptors, and carries targeting
countermeasures and decoys.
It is also shielded against radiation, electromagnetic
pulse, nuclear blasts, and is designed to survive a hit from
any form of laser technology.
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