The US military said today it had conducted a test of a Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile, postponed to avoid escalating tensions with Beijing during Chinese shows of force near Taiwan earlier this month, Reuters reported. quoted by BTA.

The test demonstrated "the combat readiness of US nuclear forces" and gave confidence that the country's nuclear arsenal is "lethal and effective," the statement said.

In April, the US armed forces canceled a test of "Minuteman 3" to reduce tensions with Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine, Reuters recalls.

The missile, which can carry a nuclear warhead, is key to the United States' strategic arsenal.

It has a range of over 9,660 kilometers and speeds up to about 24,000 kilometers per hour.

Taiwan expresses its "sincere gratitude" to the US

In February, when Russia invaded Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin ordered the country's nuclear forces to be put on high alert.

This raised fears that a Russian invasion could lead to nuclear war.

However, representatives of the US authorities said that for now they do not see a need to raise the level of nuclear alert, notes Reuters.

Russia and the United States have the largest nuclear arsenals in the world, with the number of warheads far ahead of any other country.

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ballistic missile