Russia test-fires Topol missile, Georgia desperately cries for NATO membership

Russia’s strategic and space troops successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile Topol (RS12M). The missile is designed to avoid detection by anti-missile defense systems. The launch was performed at 2:36 p.m. Moscow time from Plesetsk space port, RIA Novosti reports.

Photo: Russia test-fires Topol missile, Georgia desperately cries for NATO membership

The missile successfully covered the distance of almost 6,000 kilometers and hit a hypothetical target on the Kamchatka Peninsula.

“The missile warhead accurately hit the hypothetical target, having thereby exercised its ability to strike pinpoint targets,” a senior spokesman for Russia’s strategic missile troops, Alexander Vovk said in a statement.

Russia previously tested the Topol (RS12M) ballistic missile on December 8, 2007.

The development of the Topol missile complex started in 1977, the first tests were carried out in 1983. The complex is capable of hitting targets at a distance of over 10,000 kilometers.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili urged world leaders to grant NATO membership to his country immediately, avoiding the transition period.

“It is the membership that we need immediately, not the Action Plan and not the transition period,” Saakashvili said in an interview with a Lithuanian television channel.

“If NATO shows weakness like it was during its recent summit in Bucharest, the threat to all countries, including NATO countries will remain. Georgia has suffered now, the turn for other countries will come later,” the Georgian leader said.

In the meantime, representatives of the Muslim clergy of the Caucasus approved Russia’s recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. They promised to render assistance to Russia in the Islamic world through their levels and people’s diplomacy.

The support of Russia’s actions on the part of the Islamic community of the Caucasus and several other Muslim states shows that the Islamic world still remains Russia’s staunch ally despite the virtual isolation of the country on the part of the West. There is no other European country that can boast of such a position in the Muslim community, representatives of the Islamic clergy of Russia, North Ossetia and Abkhazia said during their meeting with reporters.

When President Medvedev officially announced the recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the Muslim clergy of the Caucasus was one of the first communities to have approved the Kremlin’s decision. Muslim clergymen congratulated the people of the two republics on their long-awaited independence and urged the world Islamic community to follow Russia’s example.

“I would like to address the Islamic world to recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, deputy mufti of Abkhazia, Timur Dzyba said.

The Muslim community of the Russian Federation has its own levels of influence, which it may use in the activities to seek support for Moscow in the Islamic world. Libya, Iran and Syria were the first to approve Moscow’s decision.