Here's everything we know about the powerful new missile tested by Russia: Satan II

President Vladimir Putin said it will make his country's enemies stop and think.

| Apr 21, 2022 09:20 AM EST

Created: Apr 21, 2022 09:20 AM EST

Russia test-launched a new nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile called RS-28 Sarmat or Satan II for the first time from a silo launcher at 15:12 Moscow time (12:12 GMT). The new launch, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday, would make his country's enemies stop and think, according to a report by Reuters.

No analogs

The missile was tested from Plesetsk in northwest Russia and hit targets in the Kamchatka peninsula, nearly 6,000 km (3,700 miles) away. "The new complex has the highest tactical and technical characteristics and is capable of overcoming all modern means of anti-missile defense. It has no analogs in the world and won't have for a long time to come," Putin said on television.

"This truly unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure Russia's security from external threats and provide food for thought for those who, in the heat of frenzied aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country."

What do we know about Satan II?

It was first introduced by design company Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau in 2016 but was under development since 2009, according to CNN.
It is set to "enter combat duty in late 2022," according to TASS, a Russian state-owned news agency.
It is a liquid-fueled, MIRV-equipped super-heavy intercontinental ballistic.
It is intended to replace the R-36M Voyevoda ICBM in Russia's arsenal.
It is capable of carrying about 10 tonnes of payload for either up to 10 heavy or 15 light MIRV warheads.
It has a short boost phase, which shortens the interval when it can be tracked by satellites with infrared sensors.
It has the Fractional Orbital Bombardment (FOBS) capability, a warhead delivery system that uses a low earth orbit towards its target destination.

In July of 2021, Russia successfully tested its hypersonic cruise missile Tsirkon (Zircon) in the White Sea. In March 2022, it revealed that it used its newest Kinzhal hypersonic missiles in Ukraine to destroy a weapons storage site in the west of the country.