Russia successfully test launched a Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile in the Barents Sea on Tuesday, a senior Russian commander told Vladimir Putin on the Russian leader’s 68th birthday. Speaking to Putin by video conference, Valery Gerasimov, chief of the army’s general staff, said the test strike had been carried out from the Admiral Gorshkov vessel which was located in the White Sea. Putin has pledged to beef up Russia’s military presence in the Arctic. Putin was seemingly happy with the latest success of the test launch. The launch was carried out as a move to push towards Putin’s promise of increasing Russia’s military presence in the Arctic during his 2018 speech. This launch has come at time when the relations b between Russia and the US are at rocks. The Tsirkon test comes amid tensions over arms control between Russia and the United States. New START, the last major nuclear arms pact in place between the two countries, is due to expire in February. The Chief has reported that the tests will continue till the officials are satisfied, and thereafter the submarines and vessels will be armed with this missile.