Sarmat missile during a test launch (Photo: Reuters).
A source close to the Russian Defense Ministry told TASS that the first regiment equipped with Sarmat missiles will take up combat duty in the Strategic Missile Forces in December this year.
"The first Sarmat regiment will go on combat duty within the framework of the Uzhur unit of the Strategic Missile Forces in December this year," the source said.
Earlier, Yury Borisov, head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, announced on September 1 that the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, one of Russia's most powerful nuclear weapons, had been put into service.
This weapon is said to have the longest range and be the heaviest missile in Russia's arsenal.
Late last year, Vladimir Degtyar, Director General of the Makeyev State Missile Center, said that serial production of the RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) had begun in Russia.
According to Mr. Degtyar, the RS-28 Sarmat missile will be considered the core force to protect Russia's national security in the next 40-50 years and enhance the combat capabilities of the Russian army.
He said the missile would become the main nuclear deterrent and ensure peace in the current geopolitical environment.
Previously, the Russian Defense Ministry said they had successfully tested the RS-28 missile launched from a silo.
The RS-28 Sarmat will replace the RS-20V Voevoda, the most powerful strategic missile currently in the Russian arsenal. Development of the RS-28 Sarmat began more than a decade ago, in 2011.
The Sarmat is an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying 10 large thermonuclear warheads or 16 smaller warheads, or a combination of both to overwhelm enemy missile defenses. Each Sarmat warhead can attack a separate target.
In addition, the Sarmat missile is also capable of carrying up to 24 Avangard hypersonic launchers, making it a powerful weapon. Avangard is capable of flying 27 times the speed of sound.
The Russian Defense Ministry once stated: "Sarmat is the most powerful missile with the largest range in the world . It will significantly increase the combat power of Russia's strategic nuclear armed forces."
Vladimir Degtyar, chief designer at the Makeyev Missile Design Bureau - which developed the RS-28 Sarmat, revealed that the Sarmat's control system is designed to allow the missile to continue its journey even if it is hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire.
According to the official, with an attack range of 18,000km, Sarmat can target any target on the planet.
In addition, the enemy cannot accurately calculate the trajectory of the Sarmat missile warhead and it is very difficult to detect them, since they are equipped with special equipment designed to be "invisible" when flying both in the Earth's atmosphere and outside it, Degtyar said.
"The Sarmat's orbit is changeable. From the Arctic orbit, if necessary, it can change its orbit to the South Pole. And it is also capable of moving to other orbits, including the possibility of launching into space," said General Sergei Karakaev, commander of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces.
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