Putin hails Russia's test launch of a new ballistic missile

Key Points:

• Russia test-fired the new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, which President Putin claims is the most powerful missile globally and will enter combat service by the end of the year, replacing the aging Soviet-era Voyevoda missile.
• The Sarmat missile features individually targeted warheads with combined power over four times that of any Western counterpart, and it has a range exceeding 35,000 kilometers with capabilities to penetrate missile defenses.
• This missile test is part of Russia's broader nuclear modernization program, including new hypersonic glide vehicles, nuclear-capable intermediate-range missiles, and advanced weapons like the Poseidon underwater drone and Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile.
• The modernization efforts come amid heightened tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the expiration of the last nuclear arms pact with the U.S., raising concerns about an unconstrained nuclear arms race.
• Putin frames these developments as necessary responses to U.S. missile defense systems, aiming to maintain strategic balance and deter potential first strikes against Russia's nuclear arsenal.