Russia test fires ballistic missile

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia test-fired a new-generation inter-continental ballistic missile, the RS-24, Wednesday for the third time in two years, Russian news agencies reported.

The missile was launched from the town of Plesetsk in the northwestern region of Arkhangelsk to hit a target thousands of kilometers (miles) away in the Russian Far East, Interfax reported.

The RS-24, which is fired from land, can carry nuclear warheads and has capabilities similar to Russia's submarine-launched Bulava missile.

Russia's military touts the Bulava as a unique weapon able to pierce any air defense, but a number of test launches from submarines in the past few years have failed.

(Writing by Simon Shuster)