VLADIVOSTOK, February 19. /TASS/. Russia’s new intercontinental ballistic missiles will be able to overcome any U.S. missile shield, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Sunday in an interview with the Voskresny Vecher with Vladimir Solovyev program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.
According to the deputy prime minister, Russia’s nuclear deterrence forces are made up of various missiles, including "old Soviet-era classical missiles Voyevoda, called Satan in the West. However, in his words, Russia is developing new missiles. "They [Voyevoda missiles - TASS] have proved their worth, they are very reliable and their service life has been extended until new weapons, new missiles are developed. Works on such weapons go on as scheduled," he said.
"These weapons will soon be put into service in our army. These weapons are able to clear the United States’ missile defense both of today and of tomorrow and even of the day after tomorrow. We will overpower this defense. As of today, it is no more than a provocation for us as it poses no serious military threat," Rogozin stressed.
The Sarmat is a heavy inter-continental ballistic missile carrying a maximum payload of ten tonnes, in contrast to its predecessor’s 8.75-tonne payload. It is expected to replace the R-36M2 missile (Voyevoda), which, according to open sources, was authorized for service in 1988.
The Sarmat’s prototype was already available in the autumn of 2015. Tests of Sarmat engines followed a year late and were successful. Commander of Russia’s strategic missile forces, Sergei Karakayev, said the new missile will be put into service in 2019-2020.