Kathrine Frich
Developing cutting edge military hardware is an incredibly difficult process
Among other things it requires massive financial investment.
When manufacturing timelines stretch out over a decade, citizens naturally start to question the official narrative.
A familiar promise
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently celebrated a supposedly successful weapons test on national television.
He announced that the highly anticipated Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile will finally reach the armed forces very soon.
According to The Moscow Times cited by United24media, the leader received the good news during a May 12 video call.
Strategic Missile Forces commander Sergey Karakaev reported that the latest launch completely confirmed their structural and technological designs.
The Russian leader praised the destructive weapon extensively during the public broadcast. Putin described the Sarmat as “the most powerful missile system in the world,” claiming it possesses a massive range of over 35,000 kilometers.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to reporters that Moscow successfully notified the United States and other foreign governments regarding the launch. The massive weapon system is designed to replace aging Soviet hardware from the 1980s.
Counting the delays
The manufacturing timeline for this specific weapon system is incredibly messy. The Moscow Times notes this actually marks the seventh time Putin has promised to deploy the missile since initial development began in 2013.
Government officials originally claimed the advanced hardware would enter active service back in 2020. The president later promised deployment by the end of 2023, and then claimed in early 2024 that frontline troops already had the weapons.
He was forced to walk those bold statements back significantly last fall. Putin admitted in October 2025 that “it [Sarmat] is not on duty with us yet,” while insisting it would “appear on duty soon.”
Now, the commander in chief insists the hardware “really will be delivered” to the Krasnoyarsk region by the end of 2026.
Explosions and arrests
The extensive development process has featured massive and highly embarrassing structural failures.
The Moscow Times reports the advanced missile actually blew up twice during high profile tests in 2024 and 2025.
One rocket famously detonated directly inside its testing silo in September 2024. Another test crashed immediately after taking off, completely destroying the site and leaving behind a massive seventy meter crater.
The primary production facility is also facing severe legal trouble right now.
State authorities just arrested Alexander Gavrilov, who served as the general director of the Krasmash manufacturing plant producing the weapons.
Police sent the top factory boss straight to a pre trial detention center last week. Government officials are currently holding the defense contractor on very serious embezzlement charges.
Sources: The Moscow Times, United24media
