Russia Test-Launches the Sarmat Heavy ICBM

Russia's Strategic Missile Forces test-fired the Sarmat heavy liquid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile, which commander Sergei Karakayev said was successful and would let the first Sarmat regiment go on combat duty at Uzhur by the end of 2026.

At 11:15 a.m. Moscow time on 12 May 2026 the Strategic Missile Forces launched a Sarmat heavy liquid-fuelled ICBM; commander Sergei Karakayev reported to Putin by videoconference that 'the launch was successful'^[1]
He said the results would allow the first Sarmat regiment to go on combat duty in the Uzhur formation, Krasnoyarsk Territory, by the end of the year; Putin said it 'will indeed be placed on combat duty by the end of this year'^[1]
The silo-based missile, developed by the Makeyev State Rocket Centre, replaces the Soviet-era Voyevoda; its test record includes a September 2024 failure that destroyed the Plesetsk test silo^[1][2]
Putin listed Avangard (on duty since 2019), Kinzhal and Oreshnik (on duty since 2025), and said work was nearing completion on the nuclear-powered Poseidon and Burevestnik^[1]

Notable features

Putin claimed it can fly a suborbital as well as a ballistic trajectory, giving a range of over 35,000 km with doubled accuracy^[1]
He said its combined payload yield is more than four times that of any Western counterpart and that it can penetrate any existing or planned missile defence^[1]

@DefenseDesk

References 281% CONFIDENCE

The first entry is always the pin's source. Overall confidence is a weighted average of how firmly each reference supports the start and end times used above; a reference counts half as much for every 180 days older than the newest.

[1]90%
en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/79724
en.kremlin.ru· Posted Sep 27, 2026· Starts May 12, 2026 ✓· 50% of score
Kremlin, 12 May 2026: Karakayev reported 'Today at 11:15 a.m., the Strategic Missile Forces launched the latest heavy liquid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile, the Sarmat. The launch was successful' (Moscow time, 08:15 UTC).
[2]72%
RS-28 Sarmat
en.wikipedia.org· Added Sep 27, 2026· 50% of score
Background on the Makeyev-designed silo-based heavy ICBM meant to replace the Soviet R-36M: first successful flight test at Plesetsk on 20 April 2022, a reported failure in February 2023 and a September 2024 failure that wrecked the Plesetsk silo, after which testing likely moved to Yasny/Dombarovsky; the Uzhur regiment was being converted for it in 2026.^[1]

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DefensePosted 09/27/202609/27/2026 at 12:41 am@DefenseDesk To timeline

Strategic Rocket Forces

Starts 05/12/2026 8:15AM

Start: May 12, 202690% CONFIDENCEfrom the source

Russia Test-Launches the Sarmat Heavy ICBM

At 11:15 a.m. Moscow time on 12 May 2026 the Strategic Missile Forces launched a Sarmat heavy liquid-fuelled ICBM; commander Sergei Karakayev reported to Putin by videoconference that 'the launch was successful'^[1]
He said the results would allow the first Sarmat regiment to go on combat duty in the Uzhur formation, Krasnoyarsk Territory, by the end of the year; Putin said it 'will indeed be placed on combat duty by the end of this year'^[1]
The silo-based missile, developed by the Makeyev State Rocket Centre, replaces the Soviet-era Voyevoda; its test record includes a September 2024 failure that destroyed the Plesetsk test silo^[1][2]
Putin listed Avangard (on duty since 2019), Kinzhal and Oreshnik (on duty since 2025), and said work was nearing completion on the nuclear-powered Poseidon and Burevestnik^[1]

Notable features

Putin claimed it can fly a suborbital as well as a ballistic trajectory, giving a range of over 35,000 km with doubled accuracy^[1]
He said its combined payload yield is more than four times that of any Western counterpart and that it can penetrate any existing or planned missile defence^[1]

@DefenseDesk

References 281% CONFIDENCE

[1]90%
en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/79724
en.kremlin.ru· Posted Sep 27, 2026· Starts May 12, 2026 ✓· 50% of score
Kremlin, 12 May 2026: Karakayev reported 'Today at 11:15 a.m., the Strategic Missile Forces launched the latest heavy liquid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile, the Sarmat. The launch was successful' (Moscow time, 08:15 UTC).
[2]72%
RS-28 Sarmat
en.wikipedia.org· Added Sep 27, 2026· 50% of score
Background on the Makeyev-designed silo-based heavy ICBM meant to replace the Soviet R-36M: first successful flight test at Plesetsk on 20 April 2022, a reported failure in February 2023 and a September 2024 failure that wrecked the Plesetsk silo, after which testing likely moved to Yasny/Dombarovsky; the Uzhur regiment was being converted for it in 2026.^[1]