Russia conductslong-range missile test following expiration of U.S. nuclear treaty

Russia conducted a test of a new long‑range missile capable of delivering nuclear warheads on Tuesday, a few months after the final bilateral treaty with the United States that limited their nuclear stockpiles expired.

The termination of the New START agreement in February officially freed the world’s two biggest nuclear powers from a series of mutual constraints.

“This is the most powerful missile system in the world,” said Russian President Vladimir Putin after being informed of a successful launch of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Putin added that the missile can carry a warhead more than four times as powerful as any currently held by Western forces and that the Sarmat is expected to be placed on “combat duty” before the end of the year.

Although Moscow and Washington agreed to restart high‑level military talks shortly after New START lapsed, no immediate indication of renewing or extending the pact has emerged.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged the negotiation of a new treaty that would also involve China, whose nuclear arsenal is expanding but remains considerably smaller than those of Russia or the United States; Beijing, however, has publicly rejected the proposal.

Trump has largely remained silent on Russian appeals to prolong New START, the 2010 treaty that imposed the last set of restrictions on both capitals after decades of Cold‑War‑era agreements.

Both nations have repeatedly accused each other of failing to fully comply with the agreement.

The Sarmat, known in NATO terminology as “Satan II,” is the first post‑Soviet Russian ICBM classified as “super‑heavy.”

Putin stated that the missile is capable of traveling up to 35,000 kilometres (22,000 miles).

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