Russia’s nuclear arsenal in question after Sarmat missile test failure

Ryan Robertson

RUSSIA’S LATEST NUCLEAR TEST OF A SARMAT ICBM ENDED IN A CATASTROPHIC EXPLOSION. THE “UNSCHEDULED, RAPID DISINTEGRATION” IS DEALING A SIGNIFICANT BLOW TO THE COUNTRY’S EFFORT TO MODERNIZE ITS NUCLEAR ARSENAL. 

THE EXPLOSION HAPPENED AT THE PLESETSK COSMODROME IN NORTHERN RUSSIA AND LEFT A 200-FOOT WIDE CRATER AND A BUNCH OF DEBRIS SCATTERED ACROSS THE LAUNCH SITE.

PAVEL PODVIG — DIRECTOR OF THE RUSSIAN NUCLEAR FORCES PROJECT — WHICH IS AN ARMS CONTROL AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS ANALYSIS BLOG — SAYS IT LOOKS LIKE THE EXPLOSION HAPPENED DURING THE MISSILE’S DEFUELING PROCESS — ADDING SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS SIGNS THE MISSILE MAY HAVE EXPLODED IN ITS SILO.

THE WHOLE ORDEAL IS RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT THE RELIABILITY AND MODERNIZATION OF RUSSIA’S NUCLEAR ARSENAL. THESE ARE THE SORTS OF WEAPONS RUSSIA WOULD USE TO STRIKE THE U-S AND THE WEST— AND THE KREMLIN’S BEEN PLAGUED BY SETBACKS AND FAILURES IN RECENT YEARS TRYING TO UPGRADE THEM SINCE JUNE 2023 — 6 RUSSIA TESTS OF ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONRY ENDED IN FAILURE–INCLUDING TESTS OF POSEIDON TORPEDO AND BULAVA SUBMARINE-LAUNCHED MISSILE.

THE SARMAT MISSILE — ALSO KNOWN AS SATAN II (2) FIRST ENTERED SERVICE IN 2021. RUSSIA SAYS THIS POWERFUL INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE CAN TRAVEL OVER 11-THOUSAND MILES AND CARRY A MASSIVE PAYLOAD OF UP TO 10 TONS — MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED ICBMS IN PRODUCTION–AT LEAST ON PAPER.

DURING A PRESS BRIEFING ON MONDAY THE KREMLIN DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE ALLEGED EXPLOSION.

THIS WAS THE FOURTH FAILED TEST OF THE NEW HEAVY INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE. THE ONLY SUCCESSFUL TEST OF THE SATAN II (2) MISSILE OCCURRED IN APRIL 2022.

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