Russia test-fired a ballistic missile Wednesday , a move that comes amid tensions about a recent NATO announcement that it placed an interim missile defense shield in Europe . The intercontinental missile was launched Wednesday morning from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northwestern Russia , the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported . `` The new intercontinental ballistic missile is intended to strengthen the capabilities of Russia 's Strategic Missile Forces , including its capabilities for overcoming anti-missile defenses , '' Defense Ministry spokesman Vadim Koval told RIA Novosti . The launch comes days after NATO 's chief said the alliance now has an interim ballistic missile defense capability in Europe . Among the interim capabilities are missile interceptors loaded on a U.S. ship in the Mediterranean , the first of four anticipated warships with the defense system . A defense radar is also operational in Turkey . The interim system will link the allies ' missile defense systems -- satellites , ships , radars and interceptors -- under NATO control from a U.S. base in Ramstein , Germany . NATO has asked Russia to participate in the system , but negotiations have been deadlocked over Russia 's demand for a legally binding treaty guaranteeing the shield would not be used as a deterrent to Moscow 's own systems . Late last year , then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev threatened to withdraw from the START treaty on nuclear weapons reductions and deploy ballistic missiles in its enclave of Kaliningrad on its border with Europe , if NATO moved ahead with the plans for missile defense . Tensions further increased in December , when Russia 's ambassador to NATO suggested that Moscow would close transit routes that send vital supplies to troops in Afghanistan .
The intercontinental missile was launched this morning . The announcement came after NATO says it now has interim ballistic missile defense capability . NATO had asked Russia to participate in the talks , but talks stalled .