Vladimir Putin's 100-tonne Satan II 'world's most powerful' missile that sparked WW3 fears

Wales Online

14-05-2025

Vladimir Putin's 100-tonne Satan II 'world's most powerful' missile that sparked WW3 fears
The RS-28 Sarmat, also known as the 'Satan II', missile was announced by the Russian President in 2018 and has been described as the 'most powerful' nuclear weapon in the world, but it has a series of failed tests
Vladimir Putin, the man at the helm of Russia
(Image: Contributor, Getty Images )
Russian President Vladimir Putin triggered World War 3 concerns when he announced the world's most lethal nuclear weapon was under active trial seven years ago, generating a mixed international response.
Dubbed Satan II, the RS-28 Sarmat missile was unveiled as a prime example of "next generation" warfare technology during the Russian leader's state-of-the-nation speech in 2018. It boasts unmatched capabilities, with the potential to deploy nuclear warheads worldwide, posing a significant menace to global superpowers such as the US, the UK, and Europe.
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Putin boasted that this formidable addition to Russia's military inventory would make other nations "think twice" about threatening Russia. Nonetheless, the Pentagon dismissed the notion that it poses any threat to the United States or its allies - but why such confidence?
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The RS-28 Sarmat missile has been described as the "next generation" of warfare technology
(Image: Getty Images )
The missile's impressive specifications are intimidating: at 116 feet long and weighing a colossal 220 tons, its range is estimated to be between 10,000 to 18,000km, vastly overshadowing Russia's older intercontinental ballistic missile, the Voevoda (R-36). For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
Reports from Russian media indicate the RS-28 could transport as many as 16 independently targetable nuclear warheads, though speculations suggest the actual number might be lower, at 'up to 10 warheads', reports the Mirror US.
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The Sarmat missile made its inaugural test flight on April 20, 2022, with the Russian Defence Ministry announcing: "At 15:12 Moscow time at the Plesetsk state test cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region, a Sarmat fixed-based [sic] intercontinental ballistic missile was successfully launched from a silo launcher."
Shortly after this trial, it was revealed that 50 new Sarmat missiles would soon be ready for combat.
However, this would be its only successful test. In February 2023, there were raised eyebrows when it seemed to leave a large crater on a launch site in Plesetsk in northern Russia - a fourth failure for the missile, if experts are to be believed, leaving significant doubts over the nuclear weapon.
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Matt Korda, an associate senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), provided Euronews Next with a breakdown of the aptly nicknamed Satan II.
He described it as "politically significant" for Putin and stated that despite its failures, "construction continues."
"Russia has long planned to replace every single one of its Cold War-era delivery systems with newer versions," he said.
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"The RS-20V Voevoda is the last of these types of ICBMs left in its arsenal. As a result, the introduction of the Sarmat will be politically significant for President Putin, as the embodiment of Russia's completion of this long-awaited transition".
Korda also mentioned that contrary to Russian reports, the new RS-28 is still yet to enter service. However, the status of the weapon remains uncertain.
He elucidated: "Not only has serial production of the missile been delayed, but its testing cycle has been marred by a series of postponed and failed tests.
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"It is clear that Russia is proceeding with construction to facilitate the missile's deployment - satellite imagery indicates that major construction is well underway at the first regiment of the 62nd Missile Division in south Siberia, and will soon begin at other expected deployment sites."
Moreover, Malcolm Chalmers, Deputy Director-General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), commented on Russia's nuclear capabilities, which already possess "already considerable destructive potential."
Despite the increase in destructive power, he believes the new Russian rocket adds little to the existing threat.
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Speaking to the Telegraph, he remarked: "Russia and the Western nuclear states have had the ability to annihilate each other ever since they acquired strategic nuclear bombers, followed by intercontinental ballistic missiles, over 60 years ago.
"Putin adding this new missile to his pre-existing 'overkill' capability makes absolutely no difference to the effectiveness of our Trident nuclear deterrent submarines."
According to the Arms Control Association, Russia maintains 6,257 of the world's approximately 13,080 nuclear warheads.
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In comparison, the US, which plans to upgrade one of its intercontinental ballistic missiles - the $100 billion LGM-35A Sentinel starting in 2029 - claims to have 5,550, while China, ranking third, reportedly possesses 350.