On December 23, 2011 Yuri Dolgorukiy submarine of the Project 955 class conducted a successful salvo launch of two Bulava missiles. According to the Ministry of Defense spokesman, the missiles were launched from a submerged submarine deployed in the White Sea toward the Kura test site in Kamchatka. All warheads were reported to have successfully reached their targets.

These are the 18th and the 19th launch in the Bulava development program. The missile will most likely be accepted for service in 2012. In February 2011, the Ministry of Defense expected that Bulava program would require from four to five launches before the missile could enter service.