Putin hails Russia's test launch of a new ballistic missile

"Russia on Tuesday test-fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile as part of efforts to modernize the country's nuclear forces, a launch hailed by President Vladimir Putin just days after his claim that the fighting in Ukraine is nearing an end. Putin said that the nuclear-armed Sarmat missile would enter combat service at the end of the year. It was built to replace the aging Soviet-built Voyevoda."

"“This is the most powerful missile in the world,” Putin declared, adding that the combined power of the Sarmat's individually targeted warheads is more than four times higher than that of any Western counterpart. The Russian leader has repeatedly brandished the nuclear sword after sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to try to deter the West from ramping up support for Ukraine."

"Since coming to power in 2000, Putin has overseen efforts to upgrade the Soviet-built components of the Russian nuclear triad deploying hundreds of new, land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, commissioning new nuclear submarines and modernizing nuclear-capable bombers. Russia's effort to revamp its nuclear forces pushed the United States to launch a costly modernization of its arsenal."

"The last remaining nuclear arms pact between Russia and the U.S. expired in February, leaving no caps on the world's two largest atomic arsenals for the first time in more than a half-century and fueling fears of an unconstrained nuclear arms race. The Sarmat designated “Satan II” in the West is meant to replace about 40 Soviet-built Voyevoda missiles. Its development began in 2011 and before Tuesday, the missile had only one known successful test and reportedly suffered a massive explosion during an abortive test"

Russia test-fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile, the Sarmat, to modernize its nuclear forces. President Vladimir Putin said the missile would enter combat service at the end of the year and described it as the most powerful missile in the world. The Sarmat is designed to replace aging Soviet-built Voyevoda missiles and is intended to carry multiple individually targeted warheads. The launch followed Putin’s claim that fighting in Ukraine is nearing an end. Since 2000, Russia has upgraded components of its nuclear triad, including new land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear submarines, and modernized bombers. The expiration of the last remaining Russia-U.S. nuclear arms pact has removed caps on both arsenals, increasing fears of an unconstrained arms race. The Sarmat, known in the West as “Satan II,” began development in 2011 and had limited prior successful testing, with reports of a major explosion during an earlier abortive test.

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