Russia has said it will deploy its recently tested Satan II missile by the fall, as tensions between Moscow and the West escalate amid the war in Ukraine.
The Kremlin announced the first test launch of its new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile system (ICBM) on Wednesday, with experts warning that the warhead could be aimed at the United Kingdom, as well as Europe and the United States.
The Sarmatian is capable of carrying 10 or more nuclear warheads and lures and striking targets thousands of miles away in the United States or Europe.
This week’s test, after years of delays due to funding and technical problems, marks a show of strength from Russia at a time when the war in Ukraine has sent tensions with the United States and its allies to their highest levels since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
Russia is testing the new missile this week
(Russian Government)
The goal, set by Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Roscosmos space agency, is ambitious, as Russia announced its first launch only on Wednesday, and Western military experts say more will be needed before the rocket can be deployed.
Rogozin said in an interview with Russian state television that the missiles would be stationed in the Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia, about 3,000 km (1,860 miles) east of Moscow.
He said they would be placed in the same places and in the same silos as the Soviet-era Voevoda missiles, which they would replace, something that would save “colossal resources and time”.
The launch of the “superweapon” is a historic event that will ensure the safety of Russia’s children and grandchildren for the next 30-40 years, Rogozin added.
The Kremlin has said the countries will “think twice” before threatening Russia when its new missile is deployed
(AP)
Mr Putin said the missile, which hit its targets after traveling about 6,000 km (3,700 miles), was virtually impossible to defend with modern technology.
“The new complex has the highest tactical and technical characteristics and is able to overcome all modern means of missile defense. “There are no analogues in the world and there won’t be much time left,” he said during a video briefing with defense officials.
Western concerns over the risk of nuclear war have increased since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine on February 24 with a speech in which he vividly mentioned Moscow’s nuclear forces and warned that any attempt to thwart Russia “will has led you to consequences you have never encountered in your history. ”
“The prospect of a nuclear conflict, once unthinkable, is now within reach again,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month.
The Sarmatian, called Satan II by some NATO leaders, replaced the Soviet-era Voivode’s system and has been under development for years. Putin announced the development of ICBM in 2018.
The launch is the latest public call for Russia’s nuclear program in the context of the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
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