The only official confirmation of this launch came from the report given by the commander of the Rocket Forces - Sergey Karakayev said that there were eight ICBM launches in 2013. The open record, however, showed only seven, so one launch was missing. As it turned out, there was a reason it was unreported. The launch, conducted around 26 September 2013 from the Baykonur test site involved an UR-100NUTTH/SS-19 missile carrying the infamous "hypersonic" warhead. As I understand, the missile worked well, but the payload failed, so no announcement was made.
It's interesting that it's soon ten years since the "hypersonic warhead" first made an appearance (that was in February 2004, also in Baykonur and on UR-100NUTTH). That time it wasn't quite successful as well.
It's not quite fair to say that the test went completely unreported - there was a very brief word about a failure at some point before September 30, but no details were given. Now we know that a UR-100NUTTH missile was involved and have a slightly better date (it could still be a day or so off, though).
UPDATE: Not so fast, my readers tell me - the "hypersonic test" was a launch of a test vehicle from a Tu-22M3 aircraft. Well, it's certainly possible. I hope more information will come out eventually.
UPDATE 12/17/2013: It appears that an ICBM test did take place - it was probably the third "development" launch in 2013 reported by Sergei Karakayev. An intriguing possibility was mentioned in one of the NK discussions - the missile could have been launched from Dombarovskiy. We know that some construction (and "hypersonic"-related one at that) there has been underway for some time, so it is not entirely impossible.
UPDATE 02/14/2017: Yes, there was a launch on either September 26 or 27 from Dombarovskiy. A local newspaper in Vikulovo warned its readers (archived) to stay home during these days.
Comments
Novosti Kosmonavtiki only source, or was there any official word?
No, NK is not the original source. There was no official word, but the NK post quotes a source that has been usually reliable in the past.
NK post quotes a source that has been usually reliable in the past.
BUT in that web link there is no word of SS-18 NUTTh launch.. could yu provide a link for NUTTH launch
It quotes a message from that source. UR-100NUTTH was not mentioned, but a hypersonic vehicle was.
How do you imagine the possibility of a secret launch SS-19 from Baikonur? :-))) And how to hide the fall of the second stage in Novosibirsk or Tomsk region?
PS: This was to test the cruise missile with a bomber Tu-22M3, Akhtubinsk.
That actually crossed my mind - at least we should have heard something from Kazakhstan about the launch. But I was told that there was indeed a SS-19 launch around September 26.
What was the eighth ICBM launch then?
This picture recently appeared on the internet so may be connected with the Tu-22M3 information, unfortunately there's no date to correlate this fully:
http://russianplanes.net/id126476
Obviously my Russian is average so there may be information here that I'm missing
Pavel,
Col.-Gen. Karakayev already confirmed today that three launches from eight were connected with "new combat payloads" tests:
http://ria.ru/defense_safety/20131217/984577851.html
Yes, it looks like there was a test launch. Some people suggested the missile was launched from Dombarovskiy.