Russia test-fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile on Tuesday featuring multiple warheads which can be independently targeted, Russian agencies reported.
A Defence Ministry spokesman said the missile was fired from a mobile launcher at 1420 Moscow time (1020 GMT) from the Plesetsk cosmodrome about 800 km (500 miles) north of Moscow, Interfax news agency reported.
The RS-24 missile can be armed with up to 10 different warheads, the Defence Ministry told Interfax.
It said the new missile would replace earlier generation intercontinental missiles such as the RS-18 and RS-20.
Missiles carrying multiple independently targeted warheads are more difficult to intercept and destroy completely once they have been fired.
Russia has previously said US plans to build a system in Europe to intercept and shoot down hostile missiles are a threat to its own security. Washington says the system is intended to counter rogue states and does not threaten Russia.