Putin Promises to Soon Deploy the ‘Sarmat’ Intercontinental Missile Despite Ongoing Testing Challenges
Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced yet again his intention to deploy the latest intercontinental ballistic missile, ‘Sarmat’, to combat readiness, despite the fact that its testing phase has been fraught with numerous difficulties.
The first test launch of ‘Sarmat’ took place back in April 2022 at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, but most of its test flights ended in failure or destruction—most notably, a recent incident where the missile exploded within its silo, creating a large crater and damaging the test site.
To date, Russia has conducted only one successful launch out of five attempts, raising serious questions about the missile’s reliability and readiness.
Despite this, Putin claims that ‘Sarmat’ is a unique weapon that no other country holds, and asserts it will soon be sent on combat duty, as he has repeatedly promised before.
The missile is projected to have a range of approximately 18,000 kilometers, carry up to 10 tons of payload, and feature advanced targeting capabilities with multiple warheads.
In addition, recent reports indicate Russia has tested a nuclear-powered underwater drone, a development that could significantly enhance Russia’s nuclear strike capabilities.
Meanwhile, U.S.
President Donald Trump responded to these developments by reminding the international community that the U.S.
maintains submarines armed with nuclear weapons near Russian waters, urging Putin to focus on ending the conflict in Ukraine instead of escalating military tensions.