A new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) so secret it has no name yet has been successfully tested in Russia.

俄罗斯成功秘密发射一枚尚未命名的新式洲际弹道导弹。

The new missile is a successor to ICBMs like the Topol-M
The new weapon is designed to penetrate¹ Nato's European missile defence shield, Russian defence sources told the Interfax news agency.

The test came days after Nato said its system had reached "interim² operational capability³".

The missile carried a dummy⁴（虚拟的） warhead and was fired 6,000km (3,730 miles).

It was reportedly the second test of the missile, the first in September having failed.

The test came days after Nato activated⁵ its new missile shield in Europe.

The alliance announced the new ballistic missile defence system had reached "interim operational capability".

Moscow has accused Nato of seeking to undermine its nuclear deterrent⁶（核威慑力） but the alliance says its shield is aimed at potential rogue⁷ states like Iran.

'In response'

A mobile launcher on the Plesetsk range fired the new missile at 10:15 (06:15 GMT) on Wednesday, defence ministry⁸ spokesman Col Vadim Koval said.

The warhead was delivered successfully to its designated area on the Kura range on Kamchatka, he added.

A military source quoted by Interfax said the new ICBM used a "new type of fuel that helps reduce the time required to operate the propellants（推进剂） in the active stage of the rocket's trajectory⁹".

Officials believe this makes it more difficult to detect and easier to manoeuvre¹⁰（策略） .

Interfax said the weapon also features individual warheads that can change course to avoid being shot down.

"This is one of the... measures being developed by Russia's military and political leadership in response to the US deployment¹¹ of a global anti-missile system," former strategic forces director Viktor Yesin told Interfax.

Nato says its shield is meant to protect members from a missile fired by a rogue state - understood to mean Iran. It plans to increase its capability by deploying¹² further assets in the years ahead.

However, Russia says the shield upsets the military balance and has threatened to turn its missile launchers on vital Nato sites.