Russia says it fires Iskander-M ballistic missile during training exercise

The Russian Defence Ministry said on Friday it had successfully fired a ballistic missile from an advanced Iskander-M mobile launch system as part of a training exercise in the country's Far East.

"The missile successfully hit its targets in one of the polygons in the Amur Region, travelling about 300 kilometres (186 miles)," the ministry said in a statement on social media. "Thanks to a direct hit, several facilities were destroyed, including a simulated enemy's command post."

The Iskander, a mobile ballistic missile system codenamed SS-26 Stone by NATO, replaced the Soviet Scud missile. Its two guided missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometres (about 300 miles) and can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads.

The Amur Region is located in Russia's Far East, in eastern Siberia.