Russia Test-Fires Sarmat ICBM, Putin Says 35,000km Missile Enters Service in 2026
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 13
Russia Test-Fires Sarmat ICBM, Putin Says 35,000km Missile Enters Service in 2026
12 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 13
Tuesday’s launch marked a rare apparent success for the Sarmat after years of setbacks, with Putin saying the nuclear-capable missile will enter combat service by the end of 2026.
Putin called Sarmat the world’s most powerful missile, saying its warhead yield exceeds Western equivalents by more than four times and its suborbital range tops 35,000 km.
The heavy ICBM is meant to replace about 40 Soviet-built Voyevoda missiles; before this test, it had only one known successful launch and reportedly exploded during a failed 2024 attempt.
The test comes after New START expired in February, leaving Russia and the United States without formal limits on strategic arsenals for the first time in more than 50 years.
Moscow casts Sarmat and other new systems as a response to U.S. missile defenses, part of Putin’s broader drive to modernize Russia’s nuclear triad.
Is Russia's new 'Satan II' missile a genuine superweapon or a costly bluff to mask its economic and industrial weaknesses?
If nuclear threats failed to deter Western support for Ukraine, what is the real purpose of these expensive new weapons?
With the last nuclear treaty dead, what new rules can prevent a catastrophic miscalculation between the world's atomic superpowers?
Russia’s Sarmat ICBM: Ambitious Nuclear Modernization Amid Test Failures and a Post-New START Arms Race
Overview
Russia is rapidly modernizing its strategic arsenal, with the RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile at the forefront. After a crucial test-firing on May 12, 2026, President Putin announced ambitious plans to deploy many Sarmat missiles by the end of the year, signaling a fast-tracked push for operational readiness. This comes despite his earlier admission in October 2025 that the missile was not yet operational. The Sarmat’s development highlights both Russia’s determination to strengthen its nuclear deterrent and the challenges it faces in bringing advanced weapons into reliable service.