Russia conducted an unsuccessful test of an intercontinental ballistic missile P-28 “Sarmat” shortly before the visit of US President Joe Biden to Kiev. This is reported by CNN, citing two sources in the US administration. Russia notified the US in advance of the missile launch.
The test posed no risk to the US, and Washington did not view the test as an anomaly or an escalation.
The test of the heavy SARMAT missile, which is called SATAN II in the West, appears to have failed. Had it been successful, US officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin would have highlighted it in his speech.
The timing of the test suggests that the US and Russia communicated through several different channels earlier this week.
The U.S. notified the Russians Sunday night that Biden would travel to the Ukrainian capital, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday.
Putin has announced successful intercontinental ballistic missile tests in the past, including last April.
The SARMAT missile was first unveiled in 2016 and has a range of over 11,000 kilometers (6,835 miles), according to Russian state media. The missile can carry a 100-ton warhead and is designed as a successor to the R-36M intercontinental ballistic missile “Voivode”.
Last year, Putin warned that the missile would “force reflection on those who try to threaten Russia”.
Last week, Russian fighter jets and bombers flew near Alaska twice in a matter of days, prompting the U.S. to raise its fighter jets in response. The Russian planes stayed outside U.S. and Canadian airspace, which extends 12 miles from the coastline, but flew close to to the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone, which is up to 200 miles from the coastline.
