Putin hails Russia’s test of new nuclear-capable ICBM, calls it world’s most powerful

Lead

Russia test-fired its new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile on Tuesday, with President Vladimir Putin hailing the launch as a success and calling the weapon “the most powerful missile in the world.” The test comes as Moscow continues to modernize its nuclear forces, and as the last remaining arms control treaty between Russia and the United States has lapsed.

State television broadcast footage of Sergei Karakayev, commander of Russia’s strategic missile forces, reporting to Putin on what Moscow described as a successful launch. Putin said the Sarmat would enter combat service by the end of the year, according to multiple outlets including Al Jazeera, Dawn, and the South China Morning Post.

Coverage Comparison

The test was reported across international media, with most outlets focusing on Putin's remarks and the missile's capabilities. Al Jazeera and Dawn both highlighted the missile's range—exceeding 35,000 kilometers (21,750 miles)—and Putin’s claim that its warhead yield is more than four times greater than any Western equivalent. Both also reported that the Sarmat is capable of suborbital flight and can “penetrate all existing and future anti-missile defence systems.”

The South China Morning Post placed greater emphasis on the missile’s role as a successor to the ageing Soviet-built Voyevoda, noting that Putin said it would enter combat service at the end of the year. Russia’s state news agency TASS provided additional context from Putin, who said that work on improving Russia’s deterrent forces has been ongoing since the early 2000s, and that Russia was forced to bolster its strategic security after the United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002.

While most sources described the test as successful, TASS’s coverage focused on the broader nuclear modernization program, including the operational status of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile and the development of the Poseidon underwater drone and Burevestnik cruise missile.

Key Claims

• Successful Test Launch: Russia test-fired the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, with state media and officials describing it as successful (reported by Al Jazeera, Dawn, South China Morning Post).
• Deployment Timeline: President Putin said the Sarmat would enter combat service at the end of the year (reported by Al Jazeera, Dawn, South China Morning Post).
• Capability Claims: Putin said the missile’s warhead yield is more than four times greater than any Western equivalent, and that it can penetrate all existing and future anti-missile defence systems (reported by Al Jazeera and Dawn).
• Replacement of Voyevoda: The Sarmat is designed to replace an estimated 40 Soviet-built Voyevoda missiles (reported by South China Morning Post, with Al Jazeera and Dawn also noting the replacement role).
• Historical Context: Putin said work on improving Russia’s deterrent forces has continued since the early 2000s, and that the US withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002 created a need for strategic balance (reported by TASS).
• Setbacks and Delays: The Sarmat had only one known successful test before Tuesday, and a reported failed test in 2024 left a crater at the launch silo, according to Western experts (reported by Al Jazeera and Dawn).

Perspectives

Russian Government (TASS, official statements): The test is presented as part of a long-term program to modernize Russia’s nuclear deterrent, with Putin emphasizing that the Sarmat is unmatched in power and capability. The development is framed as a necessary response to US actions, such as the withdrawal from the ABM Treaty.

International Media (Al Jazeera, Dawn, SCMP): Coverage focuses on the missile’s capabilities and the geopolitical context, noting that the test comes amid the expiry of the New START treaty and ongoing tensions over Ukraine. Some reports also point to exaggerated claims by Putin in the past, as noted by Western security analysts.

Western Analysts (cited by Dawn): While not directly quoted, Dawn notes that Western security analysts have said Putin has made exaggerated claims about some new Russian nuclear weapons. The Sarmat has suffered failures in the past, and the test is seen as part of a broader modernization effort that began in 2018.