"In connection with today's less than successful test launch, the overall number of Bulava test-launches in 2009 will be increased from three to four to a minimum of five," the official said adding that telemetry and trajectory measurements of the latest launch would be analyzed before the end of this year.

A source at the Belomorsk naval base said earlier in the day that the submerged launch from the Dmitry Donskoi strategic nuclear-powered submarine in the White Sea, off Russia's northwest coast, had been unsuccessful. The missile had been targeting the Kura firing range in Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka region.

"The launch was a failure," the official said. "The crew performed well. The missile left the tube, but went off course due to a malfunction after the first stage separation."

A naval commission will investigate the cause of the failure, Navy spokesman Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo said.

The latest test launch was Bulava's 10th, five of which have ended in failure.

The previous test of the Bulava missile took place on November 28. It was launched from the Dmitry Donskoi submarine in the White Sea, effectively engaging its designated target on the Kamchatka Peninsula about 6,700 kilometers (4,200 miles) east of Moscow.

Russia earlier planned to adopt the new Bulava for service with the Navy in 2009. But a senior Navy official said earlier this month that several more test launches would be conducted next year before there was a final decision on the missile entering service.

The Bulava (SS-NX-30), carrying up to 10 nuclear warheads and having a range of 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles), is designed for deployment on Borey-class Project 955 nuclear-powered submarines.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said while he was president that the missile would be a key component of Russia's nuclear forces.

Three Russian warships left the Cuban capital of Havana on Tuesday after the first such visit to Moscow's longtime Latin American ally since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Russian destroyer Admiral Chabanenko, escorted by two supply ships, the Ivan Bubnov and the SB-406, arrived in Havana Bay on Friday.

Cuban President Raul Castro met on Monday with the deputy commander of the Northern Fleet, Vice Admiral Vladimir Korolev.

The meeting was held "in the atmosphere of friendship and cooperation that characterizes relations between the peoples, governments and armed forces of the two countries," the Granma newspaper said.

Cubans waited in long lines to step on board the Admiral Chabanenko, which was opened to the public on Sunday. Old and young alike waited for hours in line to get on board the destroyer and talk to the Russian sailors. Whole families came to the port to visit the ships and take photographs.

The Russian sailors laid wreaths at a monument to Cuban national hero Jose Marti and the Soviet Internationalist Soldier Memorial, and also visited the newly built Russian Orthodox cathedral, which opened in October.

The group command met with Cuban Navy officials, the mayor of Havana and Russian Embassy staff.

The historic visit to Cuba completed a Caribbean tour by Russian battleships that included stops in Venezuela, Panama and Nicaragua.

Russia announced last year that its Navy had resumed, and would continue to build up, a constant presence throughout the world.

A group of Russian Pacific Fleet vessels will reach the Indian Ocean in two days, where joint Russian-Indian naval exercises are to be held next year, a fleet spokesman said Tuesday.

"The Pacific Fleet task force is in the area of the Singapore and Malacca straits. After negotiating their waters in the next two days, it will reach the Indian Ocean," Captain 1st Rank Roman Martov said.

The group, comprising the Admiral Vinogradov destroyer, the Fotiy Krylov salvage tug, and the tankers Pechenga and Boris Butoma, has been running training drills during the two-week voyage.

The task force is scheduled to make a visit to the Indian port of Marmagao in late January jointly with the Northern Fleet's Pyotr Veliky nuclear-powered missile cruiser.

Russia's Tu-160 Blackjack and Tu-95MS Bear strategic bombers and Tu-22M3 Backfire long-range bombers will undergo major modernization in 2009, a strategic aviation commander said on Tuesday.

"Our aircraft have been in service for about 15 years, which is only a fraction of their lifespan. So next year we plan to conduct a deep modernization of our aircraft," said Maj. Gen. Pavel Androsov, commander of the 37th Air Army.

He said the bombers would be provided with new targeting and navigation systems, which would enable them, in particular, to use unguided bombs with a very high degree of accuracy - effectively engaging any target within 20 meters.

He added that the strategic bombers would have their operational range increased and their onboard defense systems significantly upgraded.

The general said that more than 60 strategic and long-range bombers, as well as 15 fuel tankers, had flown patrol missions in 2008.

He said they had carried out more than 60 sorties, launching over 100 tactical missiles and clocking a total of 660 flight hours.

He added that, for the first time in the history of Russia's strategic aviation, Tu-160 bombers had made two 15-hour flights with midair refueling of up to 25 tons of fuel on each mission.

The commander said that in 2008, Russian warplanes had accomplished successful patrol missions in various parts of the world, including over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, as well as the Black Sea.