Putin confirms Sarmat ICBM test success, eyes 2026 combat deployment

President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia has successfully tested a new nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile, which he described as the most powerful missile system in the world.

Putin was informed by the Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Sergei Karakayev, of the successful test of the nuclear-capable Sarmat missile at a meeting on Tuesday.

Karakayev said that the Strategic Missile Forces launched the latest heavy liquid-fueled Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile.

"The launch was successful, the launch task has been completed," Karakayev reported to Putin.

Putin, who monitored the launch via video link from his office, later described the test as a "major event and unconditional success."

"It is the most powerful missile system in the world," he said. "The total capacity of the delivered warhead is more than four times higher than the capacity of any existing Western equivalent."

Russian president vows more tests of nuke-capable missile fired at Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin vows more combat test-firing of an experimental hypersonic missile fired at Ukraine on Thursday.

According to Putin, the missile "can move not only along a ballistic trajectory, but also along a suborbital trajectory." The flight range of the Sarmat missile may exceed 35,000 kilometres.

Putin also said that the first regiment equipped with the missile would be deployed by the end of 2026.

According to Karakayev, the deployment of launchers with the missile system "will significantly increase the combat capabilities of the ground-based group of strategic nuclear forces to ensure the destruction of facilities and carry out strategic deterrence tasks." The missile complex, he said, is guaranteed to penetrate existing and future missile defence systems.

Putin first unveiled the Sarmat in 2018, saying at the time that the weapon possessed near-unlimited range and the ability to evade advanced missile defences.

On Tuesday, he said that work on improving deterrence forces in Russia "has been resumed and has not stopped since the early 2000s."

Sarmat is designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads.

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