World War 3 seems to be looming large over the global scene, with Russia launching the Topol missile from a submarine in the Barents Sea. This is the fastest one in the world, and the exercise is part of a number of ballistics tests.
The RS-12M Topol is a deadly, single-warhead intercontinental ballistic missile. From 1985, it covered a range of 10,000 kilometres or 6,125 miles. It can even bear a nuclear warhead, with a yield of 550 kilotons.
"This is a conflict, there should be no doubt," said Matthew Rojansky, director of the Kennan Institute at the Wilson Center.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin called out for Russian relatives of officials settled abroad to return home. He feared the stress and tensions with the imminent threat of World War III, as HNGN reported. Pentagon reportedly admitted on Wednesday that World War III might break out any moment over the world, due to the sinking relations between Moscow and Washington over Syria.
There are reports of a row over Kremlin moving nuclear-capable missiles near the Polish border. It made Putin cancel a visit to France.
Another charge on Russia is the accusation that it is interfering with the November presidential elections. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called it "baseless."
"I think the world has reached a dangerous point," Gorbachev warned, responding to the US decision to call off Syria talks. "This needs to stop. We need to renew dialogue."
The Russians set off three missiles recently. Apart from the Topol missile, another was launched from a north-west island. The third one was a nuke rocket from a Pacific Fleet submarine in the Sea of Okhotsk over Japan. It was launched to hit a firing range on Kamchatka peninsula.
Moscow explains that it shifted nuclear-capable Iskandar missile near NATO territory in Europe only due to the signals of "aggression" from the US. It seems to pose a big threat to NATO officials.
However, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shogi has debunked the rumors of war. He said their launches are only "normal combat training manoeuvres" not threats to world peace or portents of World War III. "The ideas of a military war, a new cold war or an arms race are being circulated. Of course, it is not true," he exclaims.
