MOSCOW, Oct. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- A training intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has been successfully launched by a Russian nuclear submarine in the northern Barents Sea early on Saturday, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

    The submarine, Borisoglebsk, test-fired a nuclear strategic missile cruiser in the Barents Sea at 01:30 Moscow time Saturday (2130 GMT Friday), the Defense Ministry said.

    The test of an RSM-54 missile was to assess the possibility of extending the service life of such missiles, the ministry said.

    The warhead of the ICBM traveled more than 6,000 kilometers andsuccessfully hit the target at the Kura training range in the far-east Kamchatka, according to Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo.

    Navy commander-in-chief Admiral Vladimir Masorin said the launch "confirmed the high degree of readiness of the naval strategic nuclear forces and the reliability of the Navy control system."

    This is the sixth sea-based ICBM launch this year, the ministrysaid.

    Borisoglebsk is a Project 667BDRM submarine, whose public name is Dolphin. Seven such submarines armed with 16 RSM-54 ICBMs have been built since 1981.

    The 167-meter-long submarine with 140 crew aboard can submerge to a maximum depth of 650 meters, the Itar-Tass said. Enditem