Russia successfully fires cruise missile from Iskander missile launcher

MOSCOW, April 15 (UPI) -- Russian military officials successfully launched a cruise missile from the Iskander tactical ballistic missile launcher system during live fire drills in the southern part of the country.

A Russian missile brigade attached to the Central Military District carried out the tests at the Kapustin Yar test range in Astrakhan, according to a statement reported by Russian news agency Tass.

The missile flew at an altitude of about 25 to 30 miles during the test shot, the statement said.

"A missile brigade of the Central Military District has live-fired a cruise missile from the Iskander tactical missile system at the Kapustin Yar practice range in the Astrakhan Region today against a simulated enemy's command post at a distance of about 200 km [124 miles]," the press office said in a statement.

Iskander tactical ballistic missile launcher is "capable of hitting both small-size and large-area targets at a distance of up to 500 km [310 miles] to destroy missile and multiple launch rocket systems, long-range artillery guns, aircraft and helicopters at aerodromes, command posts and communications centers," according to the statement.