According to a number of Russian press sources, on 19 October during a strategic exercise held by Russian forces, a number of missile firings took place. The first launch was of a SS-N-18 (Stingray) Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) from the Georgiy Pobedonosets Delta III class of submarine. The submarine, from the Russian Pacific Fleet was positioned in the Sea of Okhotsk when the launch took place and the missile was reported to have successfully reached its target at the Chizha test range on the Kanin Peninsula.
The second launch was of a SS-25 (Topol/Sickle) ICBM from the Plesetsk Missile Test Range. According to some reports, when President Putin (who was taking part in the exercise) pressed the button to launch the missile, there was a failure of the command and control system and the missile failed to launch and a back-up missile was launched instead. The warhead of the missile was reported to have reached its target at the Kura test range on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
During the same exercise four aircraft from the Engels Division, a mix of TU-160 (Backfire) and TU-95MS (Bear H) strategic bombers launched four unidentified (but probably KH-55 (AS-15/Kent)) cruise missiles on the Pemboy Test Range in the Komi Republic. During this part of the exercise one of the cruise missiles was successfully shot down by two surface to air missiles in a test of the Pantir S1 missile and gun defence system. The other three missiles are reported to have hit their targets.
