Politics

Russia tests its new nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile

Key Points
  • Russia tested its new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the second time on Friday.
  • The nuclear weapon called Sarmat will replace the current Soviet-era missile called Veovoda.
  • The test was carried out at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, as spaceport in the west of Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a meeting with supporters at his campaign headquarters in Moscow, Russia March 18, 2018.
Yuri Kadobnov | POOL | Reuters

Russia tested its new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the second time on Friday, the country's defense ministry said in a tweet.

The nuclear weapon called Sarmat will replace the current Soviet-era missile called Veovoda.

Russia's ministry of defense tweeted a video showing the ICBM taking off.

TWEET

It's the second test of Sarmat. The first took place towards the end of last year.

The test was carried out at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, as spaceport in the west of Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled details of the missile in March. At the time, he said that the ICBM "can reach any point in the world." The ICBM was unveiled as part of a raft of defense measures during his annual State of the Union address earlier this month.

There are worries about the rising tension between some countries when it comes to nuclear weapons. North Korea has also been carrying out tests of its ICBM.

Russia's missile test comes at a time when it faces backlash from other major nations after Britain blamed the country for the poisoning of Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal. The U.S. and other countries have expelled some Russian diplomats. The Kremlin responded on Thursday by expelling 60 American diplomats from Russia.