Russia has successfully test-fired a new ballistic missile, which is expected to serve as the centerpiece of its long-range arsenal in the coming years.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was present at the launch of the Topol-M ballistic missile from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region.

Reports say the 18m (60 ft) missile accurately hit a target at the Kura missile range on the Kamchatka Peninsula some 5,500km (3,400 miles) to the east, 24 minutes later.

Nuclear arsenal

The launch explicitly underlines comments made by Russian President Boris Yeltsin aimed at his US counterpart, Bill Clinton.

During a recent state visit to China, President Yeltsin defended his actions in Chechnya, insisting: "Russia is a great power that possesses a nuclear arsenal."

The Topol-M has been developed as a successor to the bulk of Russian long-range missiles, many of which are due to be scrapped or, if Russia ratifies the START-II nuclear disarmament treaty, dismantled.

Unlike the older missiles, the Topol-M is a relatively small, mobile weapon designed to be fired from trucks or other vehicles, making it more difficult for potential enemies to locate and track.