Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday praised the test-launch of the new nuclear-capable missile that he claims is the best in the world and has the highest tactical and technical characteristics to penetrate any missile defense system.
The launch was conducted amid Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine and did not come as a surprise to the West. The successful test of the Sarmat Missile, colloquially known as Satan, marks a significant event for Russia's defense with Putin adding the equipment will make the country's enemies "think twice."
Russia's New Nuclear-Capable Missile
Russian authorities fired the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile from the Plesetsk cosmodrome located roughly 800 kilometers north of Moscow in the northern Arkhangelsk region. The missile was able to hit targets that were placed in the Kamchatka peninsula in the far eastern parts of the country, roughly 6,000 kilometers away.
The missile weighs more than 200 tons and is capable of transporting multiple nuclear warheads, with many believing it could carry up to 10. Russian media said that the Sarmat missile is a three-stage, liquid-fueled missile that has a range of 18,000 kilometers and a launch weight of 208.1 metric tons, as per the Hindustan Times.
In a televised program, Putin was shown telling the country's military that the long-awaited Sarmat missile had been successfully test-launched for the first time. While Western nations expected the incident, it came during a moment of extreme geopolitical tension over Russia's war on Ukraine.
Despite the war between the two European nations going on for nearly two months, Russia has been unable to capture any major cities. Moscow has sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine that has faced a stalwart defense.
According to Reuters, Putin called the Sarmat missile a "unique weapon" that will be used to strengthen Russia's combat potential and reliably ensure the country's security from external threats. He argued that it would also provide food for thought for parties that, in the heat of frenzied aggressive rhetoric, attempt to threaten the nation.
War in Ukraine
The situation comes as Russia has demanded the surrender of Mariupol with Ukraine proposing negotiations for the situation. Officials have already begun evacuating residents as Ukraine negotiator and presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak said on Wednesday that the administration was willing to hold a "special round of negotiations" with the Russian forces.
On Telegram, another key Ukrainian negotiator, David Arakhamia, said that he and Podolyak were ready to go to Mariupol and begin discussions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the situation in the besieged city was deteriorating after another desperate attempt to evacuate civilians failed on Wednesday.
Zelensky said that Ukraine was ready to resolve the issues in Mariupol but argued that Russia was not showing signs that it was willing to take similar steps. He said that hundreds of Ukraine's military troops have been wounded trying to protect ordinary civilians.
The Ukrainian president added that there were about a thousand civilians that were being protected by the military in Mariupol and including children and women desperately trying to stay alive, The Guardian reported.
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