Recent satellite imagery suggests that Russia may have attempted a failed test of its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), also known as Satan II, in recent days.
The image shows a large crater and signs of an explosion on a launchpad at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, located in northern Russia, on September 21. The crater measures around 200 feet in width, with dark debris and rubble scattered across the area, indicating a significant fire or blast.
Satellite images also reveal several trucks present at the site, while nearby trees were still burning on Saturday, according to George Barros, Russia team lead at the Institute for the Study of War.
Pavel Podvig, director of the Russian Nuclear Forces Project, an arms control and nuclear weapons analysis blog, indicated that the launch most likely took place on September 19.
A Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) for the area was issued and subsequently canceled on the same day. Podvig speculates that an explosion might have occurred during the missile’s defueling, as the imagery suggests the missile could have “exploded in the silo.”
The Plesetsk Cosmodrome is situated about 500 miles north of Moscow and 250 miles east of Russia’s border with Finland.
When asked about the incident during a press briefing on September 23, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated, “We do not have any information on this matter.”
This latest test of the Sarmat ICBM marks another significant event for Russia, which first introduced the missile into service in 2021.
Samrat Missile Test Site (Photo: Maxar Technologies)
Its previous test occurred in February 2023, just two days before U.S. President Joe Biden visited Kyiv, Ukraine. U.S. officials confirmed that the February test was unsuccessful.
The Sarmat ICBM is classified as a “heavy” missile, capable of traveling up to 11,000 miles and carrying a payload of up to 10 tons, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Missile Defense Project.
In February 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia had suspended its participation in the New START Treaty, a nuclear arms control agreement with the U.S., and hinted that nuclear tests could resume if the U.S. conducted any.
Since then, the U.S. has carried out two Minuteman III ICBM test launches, one in June and another in September 2023.
Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, described the Sarmat test as an example of “nuclear saber rattling.”
He noted that while the U.S. is modernizing its nuclear arsenal, it lags behind in certain areas. “Russia has been putting a lot of effort into this, so Sarmat is one piece of that, but it’s the many-headed beast.”
Sergei Karakayev, commander of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, announced in December 2023 that the country planned to conduct seven ICBM tests in 2024.
According to Russia’s independent news outlet Sirena, the country has faced six failed tests of nuclear weapons since June, including tests of the Poseidon torpedo and Bulava submarine-launched missile.
