Russia's 'invincible' missile plagued by technical failures
The Russian RS-28 Sarmat missile, advertised as invincible, is facing serious technical issues. According to Defense Romania, its latest test ended with an explosion in the silo. Reports indicate that the Russians are attempting to conceal failures related to the missile with the help of Orieshnik missiles.
The Russian RS-28 Sarmat ballistic missile, which was meant to be invincible, is encountering significant technical problems. Defense Romania reports that during a test in September 2024, the missile exploded in the launch silo at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, causing considerable infrastructure damage. This incident, despite Russian efforts to hide it, was confirmed by satellite images.
Problems with new technology
The Sarmat was intended to replace the older R-36M (Voevoda) missiles, in use since the 1970s. However, issues with the project may affect further testing and system implementation. This situation forces Russia to continue using older missiles, which are in limited supply, and to seek alternatives to the RS-28 Sarmat. It's important to note that intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) are a crucial part of Russia's deterrence strategy. Fabian Hoffmann of the Oslo Nuclear Project, quoted by Defense Romania, believes that due to the substantial investments and propaganda surrounding the Sarmat, cancelling the project is unlikely.
While Russia struggles with technical issues, other countries like China and the USA are introducing new technologies. China is already deploying DF-41 missiles, and the USA is modernizing its nuclear forces under the Sentinel program. This puts Russia in a challenging position, compelling it to accelerate work on the RS-28 Sarmat missiles. This is especially critical since Vladimir Putin has repeatedly praised the RS-28 Sarmat as an unstoppable weapon, claiming that missile defence systems are useless against it.
Defense Romania suggests that the issues Russians are encountering with the RS-28 Sarmat project might be obscured by Orieshnik missiles, which pose significant challenges for Ukrainians. The exact specifications of the new Russian missile remain unclear. Some sources indicate that Orieshnik was designed to carry nuclear warheads and can travel at speeds reaching up to Mach 10. It was most likely based on the RS-26 Rubezh missile. Interestingly, during attacks on Ukraine, the Russians did not use combat warheads. Instead, the Orieshnik contained so-called size-weight equivalents.
