Mon Sep 23 20:50:30 UTC 2024: ## Russia’s ‘Satan II’ ICBM Test Likely Failed, Satellite Imagery Suggests
**Moscow, Russia** – Satellite imagery suggests that Russia may have conducted a failed test of its Sarmat ICBM, also known as “Satan II,” in recent days. The images, analyzed by CBS News, show a large crater and debris at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome launch site in northern Russia, indicating a potential explosion.
The incident occurred on September 19, with a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) for pilots in the area being canceled on the same day. Experts believe the explosion may have occurred during the defueling of the missile, potentially within the silo.
The Sarmat is a heavy ICBM capable of carrying a 10-ton payload and reaching targets up to 11,000 miles away. It was last launched in February 2023, just two days before President Biden’s visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, a test that U.S. officials also declared a failure.
The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, declined to comment on the incident, stating they had no information. Meanwhile, the U.S. Defense Department referred CBS News to the Russian Ministry of Defence for further information.
The incident comes amidst heightened tensions surrounding Russia’s nuclear arsenal. Russia suspended its participation in the New START Treaty in February 2023, and President Putin has threatened to resume nuclear weapons testing if the U.S. does. The U.S. conducted two Minuteman III ICBM test launches in 2023.
Analysts view the latest Sarmat test as a sign of Russia’s continued modernization of its nuclear forces. Tom Karako, director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Missile Defense Project, described the event as “nuclear saber rattling.”
While the Kremlin has remained silent on the incident, satellite imagery and expert analysis suggest the latest Sarmat test was a failure. This raises further concerns about the effectiveness of Russia’s nuclear deterrent and underscores the precarious state of nuclear arms control.
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