MOSCOW, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Russian submarine successfully test-launched a ballistic missile on Sunday, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

    "On Nov. 1, the Northern Fleet's nuclear-powered missile-carrying submarine, Bryansk, successfully test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile in the Barents Sea from a submerged position," said the statement.

    "The warheads reached the target area at the designated time, "it said.

    Russia has been planning to maintain and upgrade its fleet of strategic submarines, carrying ballistic missiles, as a naval component of the nuclear triad.

    The nuclear triad refers to the Strategic Rocket Forces, strategic aviation and the nuclear submarine fleet.