Russia says Sarmat ICBM will enter combat duty by end of 2026

Russia has announced that its RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile will be placed on combat duty by the end of 2026, following a test launch that President Vladimir Putin and military officials described as successful.

The Details

The test launch took place on May 12, 2026, at 11:15 a.m. Moscow time, according to an official Kremlin readout. Strategic Missile Forces commander Sergei Karakayev reported to Putin that the mission objectives were achieved.

"The launch was successful, and the mission objectives were achieved," Karakayev said, according to the Kremlin transcript.

Following the launch, Putin confirmed the deployment timeline publicly. "The Sarmat will indeed be placed on combat duty at the end of the current year," he said. The first regiment equipped with the missile is slated for the Uzhur missile formation in Russia's Krasnoyarsk region.

Putin framed the deployment as part of Russia's broader nuclear modernization program.

The Moscow Times separately reported the deployment timeline. The outlet noted that Putin had stated in October 2025 that the Sarmat missile was not yet operational, despite earlier Russian announcements about the program's progress.

Context

The Sarmat program dates to 2018, when Putin first unveiled it as a next-generation heavy ICBM intended to replace the Soviet-era Voivoda system. Russia has publicly announced multiple milestones for the missile over the years, and The Moscow Times reported that Putin acknowledged in October 2025 that the missile remained non-operational even after earlier claims.

What's Next

Russia says it intends to place the first Sarmat-equipped regiment on combat duty at the Uzhur unit by the end of 2026. The announcement follows a reported corruption case involving the head of the missile's manufacturing plant, who was said to have been detained shortly before the test launch.