MOSCOW, Feb 23 (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia would pay increased attention to boosting its nuclear forces by deploying a much delayed new intercontinental ballistic missile, rolling out hypersonic missiles and adding new nuclear submarines.
A year since ordering the invasion of Ukraine, Putin has signalled he is ready to rip up the architecture of nuclear arms control – including the big powers’ moratorium on nuclear testing – unless the West backs off in Ukraine.
Putin on Tuesday sought to underscore Russian resolve in Ukraine by suspending a landmark nuclear arms control treaty, announcing new strategic systems had been put on combat duty and warning that Moscow could resume nuclear tests.
In an address to mark “Defender of the Fatherland” public holiday, known in Soviet times as Red Army Day, Putin invoked the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany to argue that Russia needed modernised armed forces to guarantee its sovereignty.
Russia says it will play by nuclear treaty rules despite suspending deal with U.S.
What have Russia and China said about peace in Ukraine? In a speech broadcast on state television, Putin said he would “continue to pay more attention to strengthening the nuclear triad”, referring to nuclear missiles launched from land, sea and air.
Putin has described the conflict in Ukraine as a struggle for existence to protect Russia from what he sees as arrogant and aggressive Western powers, and said the Samat silo-based ICBMs will be deployed this year.
His RS-28 Sarmat liquid propellant rocket, nicknamed “Satan 2,” was first unveiled by President Putin in 2018. The missile should have been deployed in the past year.
CNN reported that the U.S. believes Russia conducted a Sarmat test just before U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Ukraine earlier this week, but the test failed. The Russian Defense Ministry has not commented on the report.
The 35-meter missile has a range of 18,000 km and can carry at least 10 multipurpose reentry vehicles. Each has a nuclear warhead and each can hit different targets. We can also offer hypersonic avant-garde gliders.
