Local media reported that the Russian military succeeded in a test launch of its homegrown intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the RS-28 "Sarmat."
TASS reported on the 12th (local time) that President Vladimir Putin received a report from Strategic Missile Forces Commander Sergei Karakayev that the test launch succeeded.
In a televised address, President Putin also said, "Sarmat will be deployed for combat by the end of this year."
Sarmat is an ICBM with the United States and Europe within range, and it is known to be capable of carrying more than 10 nuclear warheads.
Putin said, "Sarmat can be launched on a quasi-orbital trajectory and has a range of 35,000 km," adding, "It can neutralize all air defense systems."
However, Western experts assess Sarmat's range at about 18,000 km and see the possibility that Russia may have exaggerated its nuclear armament capabilities.
In Sep. 2024, a failed Sarmat test launch created a crater near the launch pad.