Putin Test Fires Nuclear-Capable Missile Amid Dispute Over NATO Phone Call

Key Points:

• Russia test-launched a Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from its nuclear-powered Generalissimo Suvorov submarine in the Sea of Okhotsk, targeting the Chizha testing range near NATO members Norway and Finland.
• The Bulava missile, with a range exceeding 5,000 miles, is a critical component of Russia's nuclear deterrence strategy, carried by Borei-class submarines that can each hold up to 16 such missiles.
• The missile test followed a rare phone call initiated by Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing the Ukraine war and upcoming talks involving Moscow, Washington, and Kyiv.
• The call exposed divisions among European leaders, with Danish, Polish, Lithuanian, and Swedish officials expressing skepticism and caution about direct bilateral contacts with Putin without a unified European approach.
• Ukraine was reportedly kept informed about the call, with President Zelensky expressing gratitude for the briefing, emphasizing that peace efforts require open dialogue rather than silence.