MOSCOW, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Russia's latest test of its new Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile has failed, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

    The missile was launched on Wednesday from the strategic nuclear-powered submarine Dmitry Donskoi in the White Sea off Russia's northwest coast, the ministry said.

    "The missile self-destructed after a malfunction of the first stage," it was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti and Interfax.

    A commission was set up to investigate the cause of the failed test, the ministry said.

    Six of the 11 test launches of the Bulava have ended in failure, RIA Novosti reported. The defense ministry said earlier that it would carry out up to five Bulava tests in 2009 and put the missile into service by the end of this year.

    The Bulava, which carries up to 10 MIRV warheads and has a range of over 8,000 km, is expected to become a key part of the Russian military's future nuclear arsenal.