On May 12, Russian military leadership reported a “successful” launch of the Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile, according to official reports from Reuters. Vladimir Putin, praising the development, claimed that the missile system will enter combat duty by the end of 2026. However, military analysts remain skeptical, noting the recurring failures that have plagued the Sarmat program for years.
The Sarmat, branded by the Kremlin as the “most powerful missile in the world,” has a history of catastrophic test failures. Multiple instances in 2024 and 2025 saw the missile explode inside its launch silo or shortly after takeoff, leading experts to characterize the weapon as unreliable and still in a prototype stage. Putin’s promises to deploy the system have been repeated at least 10 times since 2021, yet the hardware remains problematic.
This rhetoric serves a dual purpose: to project strength amidst the grinding war in Ukraine and to maintain the Kremlin’s narrative of nuclear deterrence. By highlighting the Sarmat and the Oreshnik systems, Moscow attempts to shift international focus away from its struggles on the conventional frontline and the limitations of its defense industry. Analysts suggest that the constant delay in the actual deployment of these missiles points to deep-seated issues within the Russian military-industrial complex, including a shortage of precision components and inadequate quality control. Ultimately, the latest announcement appears more like a strategic communications effort intended for domestic propaganda rather than a significant shift in global nuclear capabilities.