By SABRINA PENTY
Russia is continuing work to put its ‘unstoppable’ Satan II intercontinental ballistic missile – part of its terrifying strategic nuclear arsenal – on combat duty, Moscow’s state media has revealed.
The Satan II missile, also referred to as the RS-28 Sarmat, is designed to deliver nuclear warheads to strike targets thousands of miles away in the United States or Europe, but its development has been dogged by delays and testing setbacks.
In September, Putin faced humiliation after his Satan II missile exploded, obliterating Russia’s only test site for hypersonic weapons.
As a result, experts said that the test programme for the rocket could be delayed for years, or could even be aborted after a series of failed launches.
But as Putin continues work on testing his Satan II missile, Moscow warned yesterday that retaliatory actions are being prepared after accusing Ukraine of launching another round of ATACMS strikes into Russian territory.
The US gave Ukraine permission to use the weapons to hit Russian territory just over a week ago, after months of requests from Kyiv.
A fiery explosion at an ammunition depot in Karachev around 75 miles from the Ukrainian border in Russia’s Bryansk region lit up the night sky last week following the ATACMS strike.
It was also believed that Ukraine may have used British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles to strike a secretive Russian presidential facility in the Kursk region.
Nuclear rocket dubbed Satan-2 pictured launching in April 2022
The Kremlin had previously threatened a ‘nuclear response’ should Ukraine hit targets on Russian soil with Western-supplied long-range munitions.
Britain’s Storm Shadow missiles are capable of dodging air defences – making them a nightmare attack weapon for their enemy.
The £800,000 rockets use GPS technology to precisely blast targets, and can travel through the air at 600mph.
Storm Shadow missiles have already been used by Ukraine inside its own territory for some time, but Kyiv now appears to have been granted permission to use the weapons to strike within Russia.
It comes after the New York Times reported last week that some unidentified Western officials said that it was possible US President Joe Biden could give Ukraine nuclear weapons before the end of his presidency.
Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry said on Wednesday that such an idea would be ‘insane’ and that preventing that scenario was one of the reasons why Moscow went into Ukraine.
Maria Zakharova, a spokesman for the ministry, said it was in the interests of responsible governments to ensure that such a scenario, which she called ‘suicidal’, did not unfold.
She said that what she called ‘irresponsible actions’ by Ukraine and its Western backers could bring the world to ‘the brink of catastrophe.’
Remains of US-produced ATACMS missiles, fired by Ukrainian armed forces on November 25, according Russia’s defence ministry, are seen at the Kursk-Vostochny airport (Khalino) in the Kursk region, Russia, on November 26
Russia’s defence ministry said three of the five missiles fired in the first strike were shot down, while seven of the eight used in the second were destroyed
US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is seen in action
Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry said on Wednesday that such an idea would be ‘insane’ and that preventing that scenario was one of the reasons why Moscow went into Ukraine.
Maria Zakharova, a spokesman for the ministry, said it was in the interests of responsible governments to ensure that such a scenario, which she called ‘suicidal’, did not unfold.
She said that what she called ‘irresponsible actions’ by Ukraine and its Western backers could bring the world to ‘the brink of catastrophe.’
Remains of US-produced ATACMS missiles, fired by Ukrainian armed forces on November 25, according Russia’s defence ministry, are seen at the Kursk-Vostochny airport (Khalino) in the Kursk region, Russia,
Russia’s defence ministry said three of the five missiles fired in the first strike were shot down, while seven of the eight used in the second were destroyed
ATACMS – Army Tactical Missile – being fired from an M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System
US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is seen in action
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