Russia test-fires new intercontinental ballistic missile

MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian military says it has successfully performed the first test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile, a weapon President Vladimir Putin said would make the West “think twice” before harboring any aggressive intentions against Russia. The test launch of the Sarmat missile comes amid soaring tensions between Moscow and the West over the Russian military action in Ukraine, underlining the Kremlin’s focus on the country’s nuclear forces. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the Sarmat ICBM was launched Wednesday from the Plesetsk military launch facility in northern Russia and its practice warheads successfully reached mock targets on the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that Russia had given the U.S. an advance notice about the launch.