Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov mocked the West’s attempts to downplay the importance of the Sarmat missile launch, stressing that Moscow is well aware of “what it means for this system to enter combat service soon.”
Ryabkov said, on Saturday, that Russia looks “sarcastically” at what he described as “feigned indifference” by Western countries towards testing the new Russian missile, warning against the illusions of the existence of any “umbrella” capable of protecting the West from Russian military capabilities.
He added that the Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic system is “capable of penetrating any missile defense systems,” stressing that it is “unparalleled in the world.”
In a striking comment, Ryabkov said: “This is the case when size matters,” referring to the size of the missile and its technical capabilities, pointing out that what particularly caught his attention was “the separation of the gas generator, which is unparalleled in terms of diameter.”
The Russian official stressed that Moscow “did not wait and will not wait for any reaction from its Western opponents” to its advanced weapons tests, considering that every experiment of this kind gives the West an opportunity to show “artificial indifference.”
He also stressed that Russia seeks to “cool the hot heads” that talk about the possibility of defeating Moscow, saying: “They will be defeated and no umbrellas will save them.”
Ryabkov pointed out that Russia had informed the United States and other countries in advance of the “Sarmat” test, within the framework of maintaining strategic stability and avoiding uncalculated escalation.
On May 12, the commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces, Sergei Karakayev, informed Russian President Vladimir Putin of the success of testing the system, while Moscow plans to introduce the first regiment equipped with “Sarmat” missiles into combat service before the end of this year.
The “Sarmat” is considered one of the most dangerous Russian strategic missiles, as Moscow describes it as being capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads and penetrating the most advanced defense systems, within the framework of the escalating nuclear deterrence race between Russia and the West.
