Russia conducted a test launch of the Sarmat strategic nuclear missile on May 11, 2026, which President Putin described as the most powerful in the world. The missile has a range exceeding 35,000 kilometres and is designed to deliver nuclear warheads to targets in the United States or Europe. The test follows the February 2026 expiration of the New START agreement. Russia plans to deploy Sarmat by the end of 2026 following years of setbacks, including a September 2024 test that left a crater at the launch silo.
Sarmat missile test launch
- ▪Vladimir Putin described the Sarmat missile as the most powerful in the world
- ▪Sergei Karakayev, commander of Russia's strategic missile forces, reported the Sarmat test launch was successful
- ▪Russia conducted a test launch of the Sarmat strategic nuclear missile on May 11, 2026
Missile technical capabilities
- ▪The Sarmat missile range exceeds 35,000 kilometres (21,750 miles)
- ▪The Sarmat missile is designed to deliver nuclear warheads to strike targets thousands of miles away in the United States or Europe
- ▪The Sarmat missile has the ability to penetrate all existing and future anti-missile defence systems
- ▪The Sarmat missile warhead yield is more than four times greater than any Western equivalent
Planned combat deployment timeline
- ▪Russia plans to deploy the Sarmat missile for combat duty by the end of 2026
- ▪Vladimir Putin first announced Russia's nuclear weapons modernisation programme in 2018
- ▪The planned deployment of the Sarmat missile follows years of setbacks and delays
New START treaty expiration
- ▪The ending of the New START agreement formally released the world's two largest nuclear powers from a raft of restrictions
- ▪The New START agreement between Russia and the United States ended in February 2026
Previous Sarmat test failures
- ▪A Sarmat missile test in September 2024 left a deep crater at the launch silo
- ▪Western security analysts say Vladimir Putin has made exaggerated claims for the capabilities of some of Russia's new generation of nuclear weapons
Nuclear deterrence messaging
- ▪The deployment of launchers equipped with the Sarmat missile system will significantly enhance the combat capabilities of Russia's ground-based strategic nuclear forces
- ▪Since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, Vladimir Putin has repeatedly reminded the world of the size and power of Russia's nuclear arsenal in statements seen by the West as attempts to deter it from intervening too strongly on the side of Ukraine
Perspective of Western security analysts
- ▪Western security analysts say Vladimir Putin has made exaggerated claims for the capabilities of some of Russia's new generation of nuclear weapons
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