Nine Russian Missile Regiments Rearmed With Intercontinental Ballistic Missile ‘Yars’

Russian Armed Forces are being rearmed with modern Yars intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) systems.

Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said that nine regiments have already been armed with such systems, TASS reports.

"We are paying special attention to maintaining the strategic nuclear forces’ potential at the level that allows reliably solving nuclear containment tasks," the defense minister said in the upper house of Russia’s parliament Wednesday.

A total of 99% of launchers in the Russian Strategic Missile Force are in a combat-ready state, including 96% on constant alert for an immediate launch, Shoigu said.

The navy has commissioned three nuke-launching Borei-class nuclear submarines armed with the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Shoigu further said that Russia will have seven of the deadly underwater warships by 2021, also adding that the same year military will also be equipped with a modernized version of fighter jet – the Tu-160 long-range bomber.