On Tuesday, Russian government officials hailed a successful test launch of an “advanced” intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
The Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement announcing the successful public test of the ICBM. The test launch comes just weeks after Russia opted to withdraw from the New START pact, a nuclear arms control accord with the US.
This accord was Putin’s last nuclear weapons control agreement with the US.
According to TASS, Putin’s missile launch was intended to “test advanced combat equipment of intercontinental ballistic missiles.”
“This move appears to be a deliberate show of strength against the West,” The Sun reported.
Following the war exercise, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg condemned Putin. “As Putin made clear today, he’s preparing for more war. I regret the decision by Russia to suspend its participation in [the] New START program.”
“More nuclear weapons and less arms control makes the world more dangerous,” Stoltenberg added.
Russia tested a RS-28 Sarmat super-heavy ICBM pic.twitter.com/Gd8MR9Ui39
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) April 20, 2022
Some believe Russia’s ICBM are so advanced it can completely destroy small cities. “Russian propagandists claim that no air defense system is capable of shooting the missiles down, which are each capable of completely destroying a small city,” Yahoo News reported.