The recent verbal spat between US President Donald Trump and former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has once again spiked the military tensions between the United States and Russia. Moscow has chosen to showcase one of its most feared strategic weapons – the RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), ominously dubbed ‘Satan 2’ by NATO.
With the US positioning two nuclear submarines near Russian waters, the Kremlin is responding in kind by amplifying the threat of a missile it claims can overcome any Western defence.
The RS-28, seen by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a cornerstone of the country’s nuclear deterrent strategy, is engineered to outperform both US and Chinese missile systems in reach and destructive power. Russian officials have repeatedly emphasised its capability to make Western missile shields “obsolete,” heightening concerns of a new phase in the global arms race.
The missile that can “strike anywhere on Earth”
Developed by Russia’s Makeyev Rocket Design Bureau, the RS-28 Sarmat is designed to replace the aging Soviet-era R-36M, also known as the SS-18 ‘Satan’, and represents a technological leap in missile warfare. Its first successful test took place on April 20, 2022, following years of delays and secrecy.
One of the missile’s most alarming features is its unprecedented range, estimated at 18,000 kilometres. This allows the Sarmat to bypass traditional flight paths by launching over the North or South Pole, thereby evading radar coverage and missile defences.
Weighing 208 tonnes and stretching 35 meters long, the missile is designed to carry between 10 to 15 nuclear warheads using a Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) system. Select versions are believed to be equipped with Russia’s Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles, which can manoeuvre at speeds exceeding Mach 20, making them nearly impossible to intercept.
A strategic signal to the West
The timing of Russia’s renewed focus on the Sarmat is no coincidence. Reports suggest the US has moved two Ohio-class nuclear submarines into proximity of Russian waters, seen by Moscow as a hostile manoeuvre.
The RS-28 is not just a show of brute force; it’s a calculated message. Compared to its peers, such as the US LGM-30G Minuteman III (13,000 km range) or China’s DF-41 (12,000–15,000 km), the Sarmat offers both longer reach and heavier payload, enhancing Russia’s second-strike credibility in a potential nuclear conflict.
Its capability to carry hypersonic gliders further complicates NATO’s defence calculus. These warheads can manoeuvre mid-flight, dodging interceptor systems like the US Ground-based Midcourse Defence (GMD) or THAAD.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths:
- Unmatched range of up to 18,000 km
- Ability to deploy multiple warheads and Avangard hypersonic vehicles
- Designed to penetrate or bypass current missile defence systems
Weaknesses:
- Its liquid-fuelled design requires longer launch preparation times than solid-fuelled systems like the US Minuteman III
- Technical reliability remains under scrutiny, especially after an explosion during testing in 2024
- Future countermeasures such as space-based interceptors and existing systems like the U.S. Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) could detect launches earlier
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