Putin praises launch of Russia’s 'most powerful' Sarmat missile

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the successful test launch of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, describing it as “the most powerful missile in the world” and a key addition to Russia’s strategic nuclear arsenal.

According to Russian state television footage, Strategic Missile Forces commander Colonel General Sergei Karakayev informed Putin that the launch had been successful. Putin later announced that the missile system would enter combat service by the end of 2026.

The Sarmat missile, known in the West as “Satan II”, is designed to replace Russia’s ageing Soviet-era Voyevoda missile systems. Putin said the weapon has a warhead yield “more than four times greater” than Western equivalents and claimed it could bypass all current and future missile defence systems.

Russian officials said the missile is capable of suborbital flight with a claimed range exceeding 35,000 kilometres. Reports also state that the missile can carry multiple independently targetable nuclear warheads, allowing it to strike several targets simultaneously.

The test marks a significant milestone in Russia’s long-running effort to modernise its nuclear forces. Development of the Sarmat programme began in 2011, but the project experienced repeated delays and failed tests over the years.

Before the latest launch, the missile had only one publicly known successful test and reportedly suffered a major explosion during a failed trial in 2024.

The announcement comes at a time of heightened global concern over nuclear tensions and the erosion of arms control agreements between Russia and the United States.

The New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control pact limiting the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, expired earlier this year without a replacement agreement.

Analysts have linked Russia’s renewed emphasis on strategic weapons to its prolonged war in Ukraine and worsening relations with NATO countries.

Since the start of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Putin has repeatedly highlighted Russia’s nuclear capabilities while warning Western nations against deeper military involvement.

Russia has simultaneously been developing several next-generation strategic systems, including the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone and Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile.

While Russian officials described the latest Sarmat launch as a major technological breakthrough, some Western analysts cautioned that several of Putin’s claims regarding the missile’s capabilities could not be independently verified.