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

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Russia’s latest nuclear test of a Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile has ended in a catastrophic explosion, dealing a significant blow to the country’s efforts to modernize its nuclear arsenal. The explosion occurred at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia, leaving a 200-foot-wide crater and debris scattered across the launch site.

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Pavel Podvig, director of the Russian Nuclear Forces Project, an arms control and nuclear weapons analysis blog, said the explosion likely happened during the missile’s defueling process. Satellite imagery shows signs that the missile may have exploded in its silo.

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The incident has raised concerns about the reliability and modernization of Russia’s nuclear arsenal. These are the types of weapons Russia would use to strike the U.S. and the West, and the Kremlin has been plagued by setbacks and failures in recent years while trying to upgrade them.

Since June 2023, six Russian tests of its nuclear weaponry have ended in failure, including tests of the Poseidon torpedo and Bulava submarine-launched missile.

The Sarmat missile, also known as Satan II, first entered service in 2021. Russia claims this powerful intercontinental ballistic missile can travel over 11,000 miles and carry a massive payload of up to 10 tons, making it one of the most advanced ICBMs in production.

The Kremlin declined to comment on the alleged explosion during a press briefing on Monday, Sept. 23. This was the fourth failed test of the new heavy intercontinental ballistic missile. The only successful test of the Satan II missile occurred in April 2022.

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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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