Vinayak Barot
New Delhi: Amid rising tensions between the member-nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Russia has announced to test-fire 200 missiles in 2021.
Political relations between the US and Russia nosedived in the last few months as Washington has been trying to prevent many countries, including India, from buying S-400 missile defence systems from Russia.
Moscow also announced a ‘Satan-2’ missile which can destroy any target in a 10,000-km range, media reported.
The Russian Defence Ministry said that “All missile tests will be done under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin.”
NATO nations are worried over Russia’s aggressive moves.
The RS-28 Sarmat missile, developed by Russia, is ready for trial. “Trials like this will happen in future.
According to a US media report, Russian Sarmat or Satan-2 missile can hit the target in the range of 10,000 to 18,000 kilometres.”
Defence experts of Russia say that “a single RS-28 Sarmat missile can destroy the whole France in a single blow. The RS-18 missile can carry a single large thermonuclear bomb or 16 smaller nuclear bombs.”
Each of its warheads can destroy different targets. The RS-18 missile will replace the SS-18 based on the old Soviet design. The SS-18 is the heaviest intercontinental missile in the world.
Last year, the US had warned Russia for its anti-satellite missile test.
On Russia’s anti-satellite missile test, the US said it is an open violation of the agreement. “If Russia continues the anti-satellite missile test, then Washington will have to impose more sanctions on Russia.”
The US has imposed more sanctions on Turkey for purchasing the S-400 missile defence system from Russia.
