
Russia's Defence Ministry on Friday (Apr 12) said that it had conducted a successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile at the Kapustin Yar rocket launch complex in the southern Astrakhan region.
As quoted by the Russian state-owned news agency cited the defence ministry as saying, "On April 12, 2024, from the 4th State Central Interspecific Range Kapustin Yar in the Astrakhan Region, a combat crew of the Strategic Missile Forces successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile of a mobile ground missile system."
The report mentioned that the launch was carried out as part of state testing of promising missile systems. In addition to that, the launch also focused on confirming the stability of the missiles in service with the Russian army.
The ministry noted that all tasks were completed in full. The results indicate the high reliability of domestic missiles, ensuring the strategic security of the country.
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Senior US officials said on Friday (Apr 12) that China is helping Russia's war effort in Ukraine. The US officials said that Beijing is helping Moscow in its biggest military buildup since the Soviet era, providing drone and missile technology, satellite imagery and machine tools.
The news agency Reuters reported that the officials said US President Joe Biden raised the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping in their recent phone call and that it is a topic of discussion with US allies in Europe and around the world.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity. One official said Chinese materials are filling critical gaps in Russia's defence production cycle and helping Moscow undertake its "most ambitious defence expansion since the Soviet era and on a faster timeline than we believed possible early on in this conflict."
"Our view is that one of the most game-changing moves available to us at this time to support Ukraine is to persuade the PRC (China) to stop helping Russia reconstitute its military-industrial base. Russia would struggle to sustain its war effort without PRC input," the official said.