With his familiar provocative rhetoric, Dmitry Medvedev commented on the recent test of the Russian intercontinental Sarmat missile. In a post on the English version of his X account, the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council ironically congratulated Russia’s “friends in the West,” emphasizing with threatening undertones that this development “brings them all much closer” to Moscow.
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New Medvedev threat following Sarmat test
“Congratulations to all Russia’s western ‘friends’ on the successful test of the Sarmat strategic missile system. Now we’re all so much closer!” Dmitry Medvedev characteristically wrote on his X account.
Congratulations to all Russia’s western “friends” on the successful test of the Sarmat strategic missile system. Now we’re all so much closer! pic.twitter.com/6xcBLIXQCO
— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) May 13, 2026
The successful missile test was announced yesterday by Vladimir Putin himself. Russia had attempted similar tests in previous years, which had failed, causing delays in its development.
According to footage released by the Kremlin on Tuesday, Putin was briefed on the test via video conference by the commander of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, Sergei Karakayev. The latter stated that the launch confirmed the reliability of the system’s design and technological characteristics. “The launch was successful,” Karakayev told the Russian president.
Russia successfully conducted a test launch of the RS-28 ‘Sarmat’ ICBM. The tests confirmed the missile’s stated performance specifications. pic.twitter.com/sQBRsZ6k1i
— Massimo Frantarelli (@MrFrantarelli) May 12, 2026
Putin reiterated that the Sarmat constitutes “the most powerful missile system in the world,” claiming it has a range exceeding 35,000 kilometers. Additionally, the total power of the nuclear warhead the Sarmat can carry is four times greater than comparable systems, while its speed can exceed 10 mach, covering a distance of 12,000 kilometers per hour. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow had notified the United States and other countries about the test in advance.
The “Satan” replacement and continuous delays
The Sarmat missile was designed to replace the old Soviet Voevoda missiles, known to NATO as “Satan.” However, the program evolved into one of Russia’s most problematic strategic weapons projects.
The Kremlin had initially announced that the missile would enter operational service in 2020, but the timeline was repeatedly postponed due to technical problems. Despite the delays, Putin and other Russian officials assured for years that the system was close to full operational readiness.
Russia had first announced a successful Sarmat test shortly after the start of the full invasion of Ukraine in 2022. At that time, Putin had stated that the new weapon would strengthen the country’s nuclear deterrent and force Russia’s adversaries “to think twice.”
In early 2024, the Russian president claimed that the first serially produced Sarmat missiles had already been delivered to the Russian armed forces. However, in October 2025, he publicly admitted that the system had not yet been put into regular operational service.
Several previous tests had failed. In September 2024, a Sarmat missile exploded inside a launch silo during tests at the Plesetsk cosmodrome. Furthermore, according to reports, another test in November 2025 also ended in failure when the missile remained airborne for about a minute before crashing.
The new test was conducted just days after the arrest of Alexander Gavrilov, head of the defense industry company Krasmash, which manufactures Sarmat missiles. Russian authorities accuse him of embezzlement.
