Russia launches its ‘most-powerful’ missile, Putin says can hit any target on earth

Russia successfully launched its intercontinental ballistic missile "Sarmat" from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region, despite tensions with NATO over Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed this on Wednesday.

In televised remarks on Wednesday, Putin told the army, "I congratulate you on the successful launch of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile."

"This truly unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure the security of Russia from external threats and make those who, in the heat of aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country, think twice," Putin said.

"Today at 15:12 Moscow time at the Plesetsk state test cosmodrome in the Arkhangelsk region, a Sarmat fixed-based intercontinental ballistic missile was successfully launched from a silo launcher," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

"The launch tasks have been completed in full. Design characteristics have been confirmed at all stages of its flight. Training warheads have arrived in a given area at the Kura training ground on the Kamchatka Peninsula," the report added.

With a brief initial boost phase, the Sarmat superheavy intercontinental ballistic missile is designed to avoid anti-missile defence systems, allowing adversary surveillance systems a little window to follow it.

Putin claims that the rocket, which weighs more than 200 tonnes and can carry numerous warheads, can hit any target on Earth.