Russia's ICBM program is facing significant challenges with its new Sarmat missile, primarily due to the loss of Ukrainian expertise driven by the conflict that began in 2014. Experts highlight that many critical personnel and manufacturing capabilities were based in Ukraine, which has a storied history of contributing to missile technology. The shift to a liquid-fueled ICBM design has further complicated matters, as Russia lacks recent experience in this area, and much of its knowledgeable workforce has either retired or relocated, particularly with ties to Ukraine severed due to ongoing hostilities.
Historically, a lot of the ICBM manufacturing plants and personnel were based in Ukraine," Timothy Wright, a missile expert at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told BI.
It's a bit of a question of: 'Have they retained the expertise?' Because all the people who built their previous missile have retired or dead," said Fabian Hoffman.
They haven't got any recent experience doing this sort of stuff with land-based ICBMs," Wright explained.
That's one of the reasons why the ICBM program is facing persistent struggles with the new Sarmat missile."
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