Putin promises to deploy the "Sarmat" by the end of the year - CNN
Putin has once again claimed that the “Sarmat” missile has undergone successful tests and promised to put it on combat duty by the end of the year, although this is not the first time such statements have been made. At the same time, experts and the media are pointing out the problems with the program, which has been in development for years and has faced repeated setbacks. CNN reports on this.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again returned to the topic of the “Sarmat” intercontinental ballistic missile and announced its allegedly successful tests, promising that the system will be deployed by the end of the year, although he provided no concrete evidence of the weapon’s full readiness, and the history of this project has long been marked by delays and grandiose promises.
The RS-28 The “Sarmat,” known in NATO as Satan II, has been under development since 2011 and is positioned as a heavy silo-based intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of over 10,000 kilometers, capable of carrying up to 16 nuclear warheads, making it one of the key elements of Russian nuclear rhetoric.
Putin claims that its combat power allegedly significantly exceeds that of Western counterparts, particularly the American Minuteman III; however, these statements contrast with the actual state of the program, which has repeatedly encountered technical problems during testing.
It is known that at least some of the tests ended in failure; specifically, in 2024, an explosion occurred at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome during one of the launches, causing significant damage and once again casting doubt on the system’s readiness for combat use.
Additionally, experts point to the rocket’s technical features, specifically its use of liquid fuel, which complicates operations, as refueling must occur immediately before launch, thereby reducing operational readiness.
Russian media and some Telegram channels also note that similar claims about the “nearly ready” “Sarmat” have been made at least ten times since 2021, which only reinforces skepticism regarding the actual timeline for the system’s deployment. Against the backdrop of these statements, analysts also point to the Kremlin’s overall military policy, which involves actively building up nuclear capabilities and making demonstrative announcements about new weapons—announcements that often serve as part of political pressure and propaganda, rather than merely technical reports on weaponry.
As a reminder, Russia announced successful tests of the “Sarmat” strategic missile system, which is scheduled to be deployed by the end of 2026.
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