Dubbed as 'SATAN 2', Russia test-fires intercontinental ballistic missile Sarmat

Amid ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin has showcased his power to West by launching a new intercontinental ballistic missile, Sarmat, on Wednesday. During its launch, Putin said that latest missile launch is capable of firing up to 15 nuclear warheads in a single strike. According to him, launch of Sarmat is able to overpower all modern means of missile defence and would make West “think twice” before harbouring any aggressive intentions against Moscow. "re is t — and won’t be — anything comparable in world," he said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Russian Defence Ministry said that Sarmat ICBM was launched from Plesetsk launch facility in rrn Russia. It claimed that its practice warheads have successfully reached mock targets on Kura firing range in far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula. 

While speaking to senior officials on Wednesday, Russian President hailed efforts of defence officials who were engd in launch. As per Putin, Sarmat missile has foreign analogues and is capable of penetrating any prospective missile defence.

Sarmat is built exclusively from domestic components, says Putin

"This really unique weapon will strengn combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure Russia’s security from external threats and make those, who in heat of frantic aggressive rhetoric tries to threaten our country, think twice," Putin stressed.

tably, he was pointing fingers at sanctions imposed by West and European Union on Moscow in a bid to target its arms industries for its action against Ukraine. He said that new missile is built exclusively from domestic components— a claim that appears contradictory as missile has been in development since 2000s. 

"Of course, this will simplify serial production of system by enterprises of military-industrial sector and accelerate its delivery to Strategic Missile Forces," he added.

However, when asked Pentagon press secretary John Kirby about Russia's missile launch and its potential to threaten West, he rejected Putin's claim and added Moscow had already tified US about launch. "Russia properly tified United States under its New START obligations that it planned to test this ICBM,” he said.

“Such testing is routine. It was t a surprise. We did t deem test to be a threat to United States or its allies," he added. It is worth mentioning that Sarmat is a heavy missile that has been under development for several years to replace Soviet-made Voyevoda, which was code-named Satan by West and forms core of Russia’s nuclear deterrent.

With inputs from AP

Im: AP