Russia announces successful test of 35,000-kilometre Sarmat Missile system

Europe-Asia, International

MOSCOW, Russia (NPA) — Russia says it has successfully conducted another test of its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile system, describing the weapon as one of the most powerful strategic deterrence platforms in the world.

The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its official Telegram channel following a report presented to President Vladimir Putin by Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Sergei Karakayev, via videoconference.

According to the Russian government, development of the Sarmat missile system began in 2011, while details of the programme and its capabilities were first publicly unveiled in 2018.

Russian officials claimed the missile possesses capabilities exceeding those of many existing strategic missile systems, including an operational range of more than 35,000 kilometres.

The statement further claimed that the Sarmat missile can travel along both ballistic and suborbital trajectories, enabling it to bypass existing and future missile defence systems.

Moscow also described the missile as more powerful than the Soviet-era Voevoda missile system currently in service, alleging that the total yield of its warhead is more than four times greater than that of comparable Western systems.

While Russian officials highlighted the missile’s long-range capability, independent verification of some of the performance claims remains limited. Military analysts generally estimate that intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from Russia toward the mainland United States could reach targets within approximately 20 to 30 minutes, depending on trajectory and launch conditions.

Speaking after receiving the report, President Vladimir Putin said Russia resumed efforts to modernise its strategic deterrence systems in the early 2000s following the withdrawal of the United States from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002.

“We were forced to think about ensuring our strategic security in the new reality and preserving the strategic balance of forces,” Putin said.

According to him, Russia subsequently began developing advanced weapons systems capable of overcoming missile defence networks.

Putin also referenced several other strategic weapons programmes currently deployed or under development by Russia, including the Avangard intercontinental-range missile system, the Kinzhal hypersonic missile and the Oreshnik medium-range missile system.

He added that work was nearing completion on the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle and the Burevestnik global-range cruise missile, both powered by compact nuclear propulsion systems.

The latest announcement comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions between Russia and Western countries over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and broader security concerns in Europe.