MOSCOW. Dec 4 (Interfax) - Russia has ceased the development of railroad-based missile systems, the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper said on its website on Saturday.
"The development of the next-generation railroad-based missile systems has been ceased. The topic is closed at least in the short term," the newspaper said, citing "an informed representative of the Russian defense industry."
"The design and experimental works on Barguzin have been conducted. An experiment with a pop-up launch was successful. In case of an urgent need, our missile train will be on the tracks promptly. But now let's forget about it," the newspaper said.
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov told Interfax in September 2016 that the industry is ready to create a railroad-based missile system and all technical solutions were prepared.
"All technical solutions have been elaborated, and we don't see any difficulties, neither engineering nor technical ones, with creating such a complex. And we will realize it if necessary, if the military political situation requires it," Borisov said.
The Strategic Missile Troops Commander, Col. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, told reporters earlier that a new railroad-based missile system was being developed in Russia.
It was reported that a new railroad-based missile system dubbed 'Barguzin' was being created on a new technological level. The complex was being designed by the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering. The state-of-the-art complex would combine the positive experience from building and operating its predecessor, the new railroad-based missile system armed with the 'Molodets' missile (RT-23 UTTKh; NATO reporting name: SS-24 Scalpel).