Russia on Saturday launched strategic military drills involving ballistic missiles, the Kremlin said.

Russian news agencies RIA and Interfax cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying the exercises had begun, with Putin and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko following the drills from the situation room in the Kremlin. 

All missile launches as part of the exercise of the strategic deterrence forces were successful, according to the Kremlin. 

According to RIA, Russia test-fired a Yars intercontinental ballistic missile on Saturday toward a range on the country's Kamchatka Peninsula.