Russia says new nuclear missile will be ready in 2022 guaranteeing safety for 35-40 yrs

Establishing its nuclear deterrence amid war with Ukraine, Russia has stated that its Sarmat advanced silo-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) will be ready in 2022. Speaking in a Russian television interview, Dmitry Rogozin, chief of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, said that the inclusion of Sarmat would secure Russia's interests for the following 35 to 40 years.

"This year Sarmat will become part of Russia's strategic nuclear forces. In 2022, we will replenish the arsenals of strategic nuclear forces with another intercontinental ballistic complex #Сармат, which will guarantee a safe life for 35-40 years ahead (sic)", Roscosmos said while quoting Rogozin. 

Following the footsteps of North Korea, Vladimir Putin's Russia is the latest country that turned rogue after the West slapped severe economic sanctions on Moscow for its 'unprovoked' invasion of Ukraine.

The Sarmat ICBMs

Rogozin's statement about Sarmat's development is the latest after he informed in August, last year, that the missiles have completed ground trials. The Sarmat ICBM is being developed to replace R-36M2 Voevoda missiles. The Voevoda missiles, which have been operational since the 1970s, are said to be one of the most powerful in the world, however, Rogozin had told state-owned TASS agency that the Sarmat is an ICBM Russia has never created. 

Weighing 208.1 tons, the missile can carry a payload of 10 tons with 178 tons of fuel and has a maximum range of 18,000 kilometres. Capable of breaching any existing and future missile defences, the Sarmat missiles use liquid fuel and can carry a line of reentry vehicles, including hypersonic Avangard gliders. In addition to this, the missile can also launch with more warheads, dummy targets, jammers and other tools to break through missile defences with its higher power. 

Russia threatens World War III would be nuclear

Last week, Russia had threatened that the tensions could be escalated towards a third world war, which would be fought using nuclear weapons. To make things worse, Russian President Vladimir Putin has even ordered his nuclear deterrent forces to stay highly alert.

While the US called Putin's move a "manufactured threat", Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres said that a nuclear conflict is inconceivable and called for an immediate de-escalation. As for now, Russia is accusing the US of helping Ukraine in preparing a "dirty nuclear bomb" and that the Ukrainian intelligence was preparing to carry out a "false flag" operation involving a nuclear reactor in eastern Ukraine near the Russian border.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has entered its 12th day and at least 364 Ukrainian civilians have been killed so far, according to the UN data. Besides, 759 injuries have been reported so far whereas over 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries.

(Image: AP)