The upcoming tests of Russia"s troubled...

The Russian Navy is planning to conduct at least four test launches of the Bulava ballistic missile at the end of June.

"I believe that this summer will be decisive in terms of adopting Bulava for the service with the Navy," First Deputy of the Naval General Staff Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy radio station on Saturday.

"We will continue Bulava tests launches from Dmitry Donskoy submarine and ultimately from Borey class Yury Dolgoruky sub, which is scheduled to carry out several test launches during sea trials," Burtsev said.

The Yury Dolgoruky is the first of Russia"s Borey class strategic nuclear submarines, which have been exclusively designed for the Bulava, and is currently undergoing sea trials.

The admiral confirmed that if the tests are successful, both the submarine and the missile could be put into service with the Russian Navy by the end of 2010.

The Bulava (SS-NX-30) is a three-stage liquid and solid-propellant

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