MOSCOW, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Russia's Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) will put into service a second regiment equipped with mobile Topol-M missile systems by the end of this year, Russian news agencies quoted the SMF commander as saying on Wednesday.

    "We will finish the rearmament of the second missile regiment in the Teikovo division, based in Ivanovo region, with mobile Topol-M systems," Commander Lt. Gen. Andrei Shvaichenko told reporters after a meeting of the SMF Council.

    A sixth regiment, subordinate to the Tatishchevo Missile Division in Saratov region, will be armed with silo-based Topol-M systems next year, Shvaichenko said.

    He added that Russia is making efforts to extend the service life of the RS-18 missiles to 31 years and the RS-12M Topol and RS-20V missiles to 23 years.

    The first Topol-M mobile missile regiment has already been commissioned with the 54th Strategic Missile Division near the town of Teikovo to the northeast of Moscow.

    The Topol-M missile, with a range of about 11,000 km, is said to be immune to any current and future U.S. missile shield defense.