Russia Conducts Successful Test Launch of Sarmat Missile
19:07 12.05.2026 (Updated: 20:20 12.05.2026)
© Sputnik / Russian Defence Ministry
/ Subscribe
The Russian strategic missile forces conducted a successful test launch of the latest Sarmat missile, commander of the strategic missile forces, Colonel General Sergei Karakaev told President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin received a report from the commander of the strategic missile forces on the successful test of the Sarmat missile system.
"Comrade Supreme Commander, today at 11:15 a.m. [Moscow time, 8:15 GMT], the strategic missile forces launched the latest heavy liquid-fueled Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile. The launch was successful, the launch task has been completed," Karakaev reported to Putin.
The task of the launching of the Sarmat missile has been completed and the correctness of design decisions have been confirmed, the commander said.
"The deployment of launchers with the Sarmat missile system will significantly increase the combat capabilities of the ground-based group of strategic nuclear forces to ensure the destruction of facilities and solve strategic deterrence tasks," Karakaev said, adding that this missile complex is guaranteed to penetrate existing and future missile defense systems.
The first Sarmat missile regiment will be put on combat duty by the end of 2026, the commander added.
President Putin congratulated the commander on the successful launch of the Sarmat missile, saying that Russia is gradually implementing the concept of developing nuclear forces.
"At the end of this year, Sarmat will indeed be put on combat duty," Putin said at a meeting with a commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, who spoke about the testing of the Sarmat missile system.
Russia was forced to consider ensuring its strategic security following the US withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, Putin added.
"This is the most powerful missile system in the world, not inferior in power to the Voyevoda missile system in service, as it was just said, Soviet-made. The total capacity of the delivered warhead is more than four times higher than the capacity of any existing most powerful Western equivalent," Putin said.
Putin thanked Sarmat developers for strengthening Russia's defense capability.
"The rocket [Sarmat] can move not only along a ballistic, but also along a suborbital trajectory," Putin said during the meeting.
The flight range of Russia's Sarmat missile may exceed 35,000 kilometers (21,748 miles), Putin added.
"I emphasize once again, Russia has begun work on developing advanced systems that have no analogues anywhere in the world," Putin added.
The work on improving deterrence forces in Russia has not stopped since the 2000s, Putin said.
"Work on the improvement of deterrence forces has been resumed in Russia and has not stopped since the early 2000s. I must say frankly we were not up to it then. Russia was going through a very difficult period in its history," Putin said during the meeting.
14 September 2023, 18:21
