MOSCOW – Russia’s Ministry of Defence has decided that an intercontinentalmissile should be named after a Syrian city.

The nuclear-capable cruise missile – Topol-M (RT-2PM2) – has now been named“Palmyra”, the Russia Today reported.

The idea of a public poll arose after Russian President Vladimir Putincalled upon the Russian people to help in choosing names for three newstrategic weapons.

After the results of the poll were analysed by the ministry, it wasrevealed that “Palmyra” had received the most votes. Voters were givenseveral options to choose from.

Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic, had proposed to name thenewest Russian cruise missile, to honor Russian servicemen who foughtinternational terrorism in Syria.

“The name of the city of Palmyra can be translated as ‘miracle’. Russia’svictory in Palmyra has become a turning point in the fight against IslamicState [IS, formerly ISIS]. Besides, our president is from St. Petersburg,the city that is often called the northern Palmyra. In my view, the name‘Palmyra’ for this missile recalls the names of everyone who selflesslyfought evil,” Ramzan Kadyrov wrote in his Telegram blog.

He emphasized that the Russian servicemen who gave their lives in thecounterterrorist operation in Syria were heroes who fought in order tomaintain the miracle of peace.