Initial launch failures Failed Sineva test launches took place during the strategic command exercise “Security-2004” (held 10–18 February 2004), which also included the launch of a
Molniya communication satellite and an
R-36 missile. The launch failures involving nuclear submarines
Novomoskovsk and
Karelia may have been caused by a military satellite blocking the launch signal; this incident did not lead to any serious consequences for the K-407
Novomoskovsk strategic nuclear submarine. March 1, 2004 saw then Russian president
Vladimir Putin instructing the acting defence minister to carry out an investigation in order to determine the reason of the launch failures of the three RSM-54 missiles in mid-February.
Successful launches On 17 March 2004
Novomoskovsk of the
Russian Northern Fleet performed a successful launch of the RSM-54 Sineva. The missile's two warheads reportedly hit their targets. President
Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov observed a successful test launch of the Sineva missile from K-84
Yekaterinburg. Further successful launches were conducted by
Yekaterinburg on 8 September 2006. The missile was launched from an ice-covered polar region toward the Chizha test site at the Kanin Peninsula. The three warheads were reported to have successfully reached their targets. Another successful launch was performed on 4 March 2010 from the
Barents Sea. This was followed by more launches on 6 August 2010, when
K-114 Tula fired two missiles towards the
Kura Test Range. Two more launches were carried out on 20 May 2011 and 27 July 2011, both successful. On 5 November 2014,
Tula hit targets at the
Kura Test Range firing from the
Barents Sea. The 27th underwater launch occurred on 12 December 2015; the Russian Ministry of Defence shared video on official YouTube site and major Russian news channels. Another successful launch was conducted on 12 October 2016 and one more on 24 August 2019. Seven more launches took place on 17 October 2019, 9 December 2020, 19 February 2022, 26 October 2022, 25 October 2023, 29 October 2024, and 22 October 2025. ==Operators==