- Russia has tested a new nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile, Sarmat
- On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin said this missile will make Moscow’s enemies stop and think
- The missile left Plesetsk in northwest Russia and hit targets in the Kamchatka peninsula, which is about 6000 kilometres away
- Sarmat has been under development for years and came at a moment of extreme geopolitical tension
Two months after Russia invaded Ukraine, the country has tested a new nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile, dubbed Sarmat.
On Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin said this missile will make Moscow’s enemies stop and think.
Putin was shown on TV being told by the military that the Sarmat missile had been test-launched for the first time. The missile left Plesetsk in northwest Russia and hit targets in the Kamchatka peninsula, which is about 6000 kilometres away.
Sarmat has been under development for years and the test of the missile did not surprise the West but came at a moment of extreme geopolitical tension.
“The new complex has the highest tactical and technical characteristics and is capable of overcoming all modern means of anti-missile defence. It has no analogues in the world and won’t have for a long time to come,” Putin said.
“This truly unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure Russia’s security from external threats and provide food for thought for those who, in the heat of frenzied aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country.”
“The Sarmat is the most powerful missile that has the highest range in the world, and it will significantly bolster the capability of the country’s strategic nuclear forces,” Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement.
Russia is yet to capture any major cities since it sent tens and thousands of troops into Ukraine in late February.