Russia Successfully Tests Sarmat ICBM With Range Exceeding 35,000 Kilometres

Moscow — May 13, 2026
Russia has successfully test-fired its RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, heralded as the world’s longest-range nuclear-capable missile, President Vladimir Putin confirmed Wednesday, stating the weapon can strike targets at a distance exceeding 35,000 kilometres — effectively anywhere on Earth.
Putin announced that the Sarmat missile system will be formally deployed with Russia’s strategic nuclear forces before the end of this year, marking a significant milestone in Moscow’s nuclear modernisation programme.
The Russian president also revealed that development of two other advanced weapons systems — the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone and the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile — has entered its final stages, signalling that Russia is accelerating its next-generation arsenal across multiple domains.
Known in NATO circles as “Satan II,” the Sarmat is designed to replace the ageing Soviet-era RS-36M Voevoda. It is capable of carrying multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs), allowing a single missile to strike several targets simultaneously, and is engineered to evade conventional missile defence systems.
The test comes amid heightened global tensions and is widely seen as a pointed signal from Moscow to Western nations that Russia retains formidable strategic deterrence capability. Analysts warn that the deployment of Sarmat, combined with the near-completion of Poseidon and Burevestnik systems, marks a new and potentially destabilising chapter in the global arms race.