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Preparations for flight trials of Sarmat missiles proceed as scheduled

According to Rogozin, all employees involved in these works undergo regular testing for coronavirus

MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/. Preparations for flight trials of the new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) proceed according to the schedule, despite the coronavirus pandemic, CEO of Russia’s state space corporation Roscosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, said on Sunday.

"We cannot physically halt the enterprises that are working on the most advanced combat missile systems. Preparations for Sarmat’s flight trials are proceeding as scheduled," he said in an interview with the Komsomolskaya Pravda radio stations.

According to Rogozin, all employees involved in these works undergo regular testing for coronavirus. Apart from that, in his words, they are wearing face masks and work at a safe distance from each other.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said earlier Russia had finished modernization of the production line to launch serial production of Sarmat missiles. According to Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko, serial supplies of Sarmat missiles will begin in 2021.

The RS-28 Sarmat is a Russian advanced silo-based system with a heavy liquid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile. It has been in the process of its development since the 2000s to replace the R-36M2 Voyevoda ICBM. It weighs about 200 tonnes and has a throw weight of around 10 tonnes. The Sarmat is capable of breaching any existing and future missile defenses.

To date, a total of 42,853 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 3,291 having recovered from the virus. Russia’s latest data indicates 361 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.