MOSCOW, February 20 (RIA Novosti) - The chief of the Russian General Staff praised Tuesday RS-20 Voyevoda missile systems (NATO codename SS-18 Satan) and said the extension of their service life is linked to Russia's security.

Russia's Strategic Missile Forces conducted December 21 a successful test launch of a RS-20V Voyevoda (NATO codename SS-18 Satan) intercontinental ballistic missile. The launch was conducted to test the RS-20V's flight and technical characteristics to extend the service life of the R-36M2 missile systems from 19 to 20 years.

"Maintaining these intercontinental ballistic missiles on combat duty with guaranteed nuclear security makes it possible to retool the ground element of the strategic nuclear forces with new armaments with lower expenditure," Army General Yury Baluyevsky told government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta.

Baluyevsky said Voyevoda is unique.

The RS-20V Voyevoda was developed in Ukraine's design bureau Yuzhnoye. In 1988, the system, equipped with this missile, was adopted by the Missile Forces. The missile has a maximum flight range of 11,000 kilometers (6,840 miles) and a launch weight of 211 metric tons.