Speaking after the missile test on Tuesday, Putin claimed that the Sarmat missile possesses destructive power more than four times greater than its Western counterparts.
He also announced that the nuclear-capable missile is expected to officially enter combat service by the end of this year.
What is the Sarmat missile?
The RS-28 Sarmat, referred to in Western countries as Satan II, is an intercontinental ballistic missile designed to carry nuclear warheads over extremely long distances.
According to Russian claims, the missile can strike targets at a range exceeding 35,000 kilometres and is capable of bypassing all current and future missile defence systems.
However, Western defence analysts estimate its actual maximum range to be around 18,000 kilometres, which is still sufficient to reach almost any part of the world.
The Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) states that the Sarmat missile is approximately 35.3 metres long, has a diameter of 3 metres, weighs around 208 tonnes, and can carry up to 10 tonnes of nuclear payload.
🇷🇺🚀 #Russia has tested its new intercontinental ballistic missile #Sarmat, the world’s most powerful ICBM, capable of carrying multiple independently guided warheads, Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles, decoys and EW systems, making it extremely difficult to intercept. pic.twitter.com/qFQW9O2jdj
— Russian Embassy in Kenya/Посольство России в Кении (@russembkenya) May 13, 2026
Russian officials say the missile reaches high speeds rapidly and shuts down its engines earlier than traditional ICBMs, making it harder for enemy defence systems to detect, track, and intercept it.
In recent years, Russia has unveiled several next-generation weapons systems, including the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle, the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Poseidon nuclear underwater drone, and the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile.
Russia claims the Avangard can travel at 27 times the speed of sound, while the Oreshnik missile has the capability to strike targets across Europe.
Why is Russia introducing these weapons now?
According to Putin, these advanced weapons are being developed in response to the United States’ missile defence initiatives. Russian officials argue that America’s proposed “Golden Dome” defence project could threaten the global strategic nuclear balance.
Moscow fears that a highly advanced US missile shield could eventually enable Washington to neutralise much of Russia’s nuclear deterrence capability in the event of a conflict.
The missile test comes at a time when the Russia-Ukraine war has entered its fourth year, with Moscow recently signalling that the conflict may be approaching its final phase.
Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine had targeted gas facilities in Russia’s Orenburg region as part of efforts to weaken Russia’s war economy.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that progress is being made in ongoing negotiations involving the United States and Ukraine, though he cautioned that it is still too early to discuss final details publicly.
