Russia plans to deploy 'nuclear-capable' Sarmat ballistic missile by early autumn

Russia said Saturday that it plans to deploy its recently tested nuclear-capable Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of mounting nuclear strikes against the United States, by autumn, Reuters reported.

Dmitry Rogozin, head of the Roscosmos space agency, said in an interview with Russian state TV that the missiles would be deployed with a unit in the Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia, about 3,000 km (1,860 miles) east of Moscow.

"The unit will be based in Uzhur, in the Krasnoyarsk region, about 3,000 km (1,860 miles) east of Moscow," TASS news agency quoted Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency as saying.

Russia on Wednesday test-fired what is said to be the worst most powerful nuclear-capable missile the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile in Plesetsk cosmodrome in northern Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin applauding the test said that Russia has successfully tested the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, saying the weapon capable of carrying nuclear charges will make its enemies “think twice.”

Weighing more than 200 tonnes and able to transport multiple warheads, Putin says the missile can hit any target on Earth.

The Sarmat — dubbed Satan 2 by Western analysts — is among Russia’s next-generation missiles that Putin has called “invincible,” and which also include the Kinzhal and Avangard hypersonic missiles.

Last month, Russia said it used Kinzhal for the first time in warfare to strike a target in Ukraine.

The test launch of the Sarmat missile comes amid soaring tensions between Moscow and the West over the Russian military action in Ukraine and underlines the Kremlin's emphasis on the country's nuclear forces.

Meanwhile, Russian troops are pressing their offensive in the eastern Donbas region in an attempt to fully seize Ukraine’s industrial heartland but have made little headway as fierce Ukrainian counterattacks have slowed their efforts, Ukrainian and British officials said Saturday, news agency AP reported.

(with aagency inputs)