That’s how deadly Russia's nuclear-capable Satan 2 Sarmat missile is

On President Vladimir Putin's orders, Russia started the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and caused a tectonic shift in the geopolitical dynamics.

The United States and other Western allies slapped Russia with multiple sanctions, leaving the economy in dire straits. Several multinational companies stopped doing business or pulled out from Russia citing the humanitarian crisis in war-torn Ukraine.

Despite stiff Ukraine's resistance against Russian troops, several times Moscow has claimed that its aim to demilitarise the neighboring country is going as per plan.

Amid nuclear threats, Putin issued a warning as he announced a test launch of its nuclear-capable Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system.

The Sarmat superheavy intercontinental ballistic missile is designed to elude anti-missile defense systems with a short initial boost phase, giving enemy surveillance systems a tiny window to track.

Weighing more than 200 tons and able to transport multiple warheads, Putin says the missile can hit any target on Earth. It's been under development since 2009 and various tests have been done since 2016. It has been understood that it is intended to replace the R-36M ICBM in Russia's arsenal.

Speaking on Russian television, Putin as quoted by news agency AFP told the army: "I congratulate you on the successful launch of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile." "This truly unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure the security of Russia from external threats, and make those who, in the heat of aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country, think twice," he added.
Western analysts have dubbed the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile as Satan 2. It is among Russia's next-generation missiles that Putin has called "invincible", and which also include the Kinzhal and Avangard hypersonic missiles.

Russia's defense ministry said in a statement the most recent test "successfully" took place at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. According to the ministry, the missile delivered training warheads to the Kura test range of the Kamchatka peninsula, in Russia's Far East.
"Sarmat is the most powerful missile with the longest range of destruction of targets in the world, which will significantly increase the combat power of our country's strategic nuclear forces," the ministry said.

Russia has claimed that Sarmat can reach an unmatched 16,000 mph and can deploy 10 or more warheads on each missile. With Sarmat, Russia has the option of firing it over either of the Earth's poles. It is deemed a major challenge to the ground and satellite-based radar and tracking systems.
Western countries, particularly the United States and its allies, have maintained deterrence strategies to discourage the use of nuclear weapons by any potential adversary, including Russia.

These strategies typically involve a combination of the Nuclear Triad, Second-Strike Capability, Missile Defense Systems, and the Nuclear Policy and Doctrine. The U.S., for example, maintains a nuclear triad consisting of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and strategic bombers. This diversification ensures that even if one leg of the triad is compromised, the other two can still deliver a devastating response.

NATO countries aim to maintain a second-strike capability, meaning they have the ability to retaliate with a devastating counterattack even if their own nuclear arsenal has been targeted in a first strike. This concept is intended to deter potential adversaries from launching a nuclear attack in the first place. Some Western countries have developed and deployed missile defense systems designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles. These systems are intended to provide an additional layer of defense against nuclear threats.

Western countries have established nuclear policies and doctrines that outline the conditions under which they would consider using nuclear weapons. These policies often emphasize the principle of deterrence and maintaining stability.

While NATO possesses conventional military capabilities that could potentially disrupt or delay the deployment of nuclear ICBMs by Russia, attempting to eliminate them prior to deployment could be extremely challenging and risky. Nuclear ICBMs are typically kept in secure and well-defended facilities, and any attempt to target them could escalate the conflict to a nuclear level.

Furthermore, attempting to neutralize an adversary's nuclear capabilities could potentially lead to unintended consequences, including further escalation and the use of nuclear weapons. This is why deterrence, based on the credible threat of a devastating response, remains a key component of NATO's strategy.


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