Putin’s Satan II missile ‘blows up during test launch’
A Russian RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile likely failed during a test earlier this month, according to arms experts and satellite imagery from the launch site.
Maxar satellite images from 21 September show a crater about 60 meters wide at the launch silo at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia and damage around the area that was not visible in imagery from earlier in the month.
It was not clear from the imagery if the liquid-fueled Sarmat failed during a launch or if there was an accident during defuelling.
“By all indications, it was a failed test. It’s a big hole in the ground,” said Pavel Podvig, an analyst based in Geneva, who runs the Russian Nuclear Forces project.
“There was a serious incident with the missile and the silo.”
The 35-meter RS-28 Sarmat, known as Satan II, has a range of 18,000km and a launch weight of over 208 tonnes.
It can carry up to 16 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle nuclear warheads as well as some Avangard hypersonic glide vehicles, according to Russian media.
Watch more on Independent TV: https://tinyurl.com/yc7ukx9n
The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded.
Subscribe: https://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-Independent
Find us on social:
TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@independent
Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/the.independent/
X (Twitter) / https://twitter.com/Independent
Facebook / https://www.facebook.com/TheIndependentOnline
Download the iOS & Android app: https://tinyurl.com/2s3ts5dh
Sign up to our newsletters: https://tinyurl.com/2bmw565x
Help to support truly independent journalism. Every dollar you contribute will directly fund additional special reports and investigations from a free-thinking, award-winning newsroom you can trust: https://www.independent.co.uk/donations
46 comments
One failed test doesn't mean other missles not working….Russia has the most advance missiles in the world..
Simple malfunction, or alien intervention?!
What a surprise. 😂
SpaceX mistakes : ∞
Im far from a Putin sympathiser but for comparison, the UK's last 2 Trident tests failed. One in 2016 & one in 2024. Last successful test for us was in 2012. Doesn't mean our arsenal is impotent though.
And minuteman III ? lol 🤭
Uno reverse
⊬⟒⌇ ⏃⋏⎅ ⟟⏁ ⍙⟟⌰⌰ ☍⟒⟒⌿ ⊑⏃⌿⌿⟒⋏⟟⋏☌ ⏃⌰⌰ ⋏⎍☊⌰⟒⏃⍀ ⍙⟒⏃⌿⍜⋏⌇ ⍜⎎ ⍀⎍⌇⌇⟟⏃ ⌇⊑⏃⌰⌰ ⏚⟒ ⎅⟟⌇⏃⍀⋔⟒⎅
But the priests blessed the satan… guess satan didnt like that🤣
With that name it clearly isn’t for defense
Russian Tech… Truly PRICELESS! And to think they have nukes is likely another disaster waiting to happen! Almost like giving a 5 year old a truck load dynamite, 500' of detonation cord and say go play.
And Now he wants to Threaten England?🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Isn't this the same missile he threaten the west with?
Satan missile returns to hell ( make crater ).
The Satan 1 kills Russia's enemies. Satan 2 kills Russians.
That funny 😂😅
Direct energy weapon, anyone? Maybe the US is responsible?
😂😂😂😂😂😂
All the US investments in ELINT and satellite surveillance SBIRS Lo/Hi system are paying dividends quite well.
Chinese made
That is why Ukraine should not be given to Russia. Because with Ukrainian brains, Ukrainian intellectual potential, Russia will be able to develop working nuclear missiles (as it was in the USSR) and will become a real nuclear threat to the whole world, and first of all to the USA and Europe.
How to nuke yourself. Lol
what is Russian roulette? not Every shot is hitting a live bullet 😂😂😂
NATO and Ukraine are playing dangerous Russian roulette game..
You know nothing about cyber warfare😂😂
👍😂🤣все как всегда.
Да-да, осталось только не верить своим глазам а верить Путлеру😂😂😂
Oh…. Satan Missile. I thought it was a Santa missile. Ho Ho Ho!
Putin just loves wasting hard working Russian citizens money. What was the point of this?
This missile is already proven pure west propaganda wakeup people
But Russia did not anonce military exercises. May be better to people commence to think what for is this bs.
Great,according? According to Zelensky,all western country must send all their money coz "according to Zelensky,he always win and " according Zelensky again,send only in cash and "according to Zelensky,more money means more " victory.
video states TEST LAUNCH and at lest nobody died like Space Shuttle Columbia and Challenger those were already validated… ouch
🐓 🙌👹
Why not call it russian… Western media are not so independent as the name suggest
Womp womp
How embarrassing!!! Even NK can launch successfully.
I can almost hear Prigozhin from his grave. .. "SHOIGUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!! , GERASIMOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV!!!!!!!!!!!"
Eight previous tests were successful. It's a new system😎
It look like it exploded while the bulk of the mass of the missile was underground.
Russia — the circus of misadventures.
Polo juga y
Are you really INDEPENDENT?
Someone did not comply with the No Smoking Policy again.
Not today satan, comme disent les américains ,satan go to hell in ground 😂😂
Right, also Putin died again, and Russian Army is fighting Ukronazis with shovels…
War is deceit. Act weak when you are strong. Act strong when you are weak.