Russia: A Second-Strike Capability Failure

In a Dec. 23 test launch, Russia's Bulava (SS-NX-30) submarine-launched ballistic missile failed — the fifth such failure in eight trial launches from submerged submarines. The Bulava is a core element of Russia's second-strike capability — the ability to threaten nuclear retaliation after suffering a nuclear strike. The missile's repeated failure shows that it is not an element Moscow can rely on.