Russia’s Sarmat ICBM and Poseidon Submersible Weapon: Putin Reports Major Advances

The new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) RS-28 Sarmat will soon be placed on combat duty, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced during a visit to the Central Military Clinical Hospital named after Mandryk.

The RS-28 Sarmat was developed to replace the Soviet-era R-36M2 Voevoda. Its design allows it to deliver a smaller number of warheads along complex trajectories that make interception difficult. The missile can strike via a suborbital path over the South Pole, bypassing missile defense systems.

In March, the U.S. magazine The National Interest described the Russian Sarmat as the most advanced ICBM in the world, capable of reaching approximately 18,000 kilometers and carrying warheads with a combined yield of about 7.5 megatons of TNT equivalent.

Poseidon Nuclear-Powered Underwater Drone Tested Successfully

Putin also announced successful tests of the underwater drone Poseidon. He reported that the drone was launched with a nuclear power unit, which operated for a period during testing, calling the trials “a huge success.”

“Yesterday we conducted another test of a promising system — the unmanned underwater vehicle Poseidon, also equipped with a nuclear power unit... This is a huge success,”

Putin said.

For the first time, the launch was performed not only using the booster engine but also activating the drone’s nuclear power system. Putin emphasized that there is currently no way to intercept Poseidon and noted that its power exceeds that of Russia’s most advanced ICBM, the Sarmat.

Visit to Injured Soldiers

During his hospital visit, Putin met with wounded soldiers and brought icons he had received for his birthday on October 7. He explained that the icons had saved lives and bore bullet marks from combat incidents. In 2023 and 2024, Putin had also visited the Central Military Clinical Hospital named after A.A. Vishnevsky.