MOSCOW, May 12 (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) -- Russia's latest Sarmat missile is the most powerful missile system in the world, with a total capacity of more than four times that of any Western equivalent, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti.
Earlier in the day, commander of the strategic missile forces, Colonel General Sergei Karakaev reported to Putin about the successful test launch of the Sarmat missile.
"This is the most powerful missile system in the world, not inferior in power to the Voyevoda missile system in service, as it was just said, Soviet-made. The total capacity of the delivered warhead is more than four times higher than the capacity of any existing most powerful Western equivalent," Putin said.
Putin thanked Sarmat developers for strengthening Russia's defence capability.
"The rocket [Sarmat] can move not only along a ballistic, but also along a suborbital trajectory," Putin said during the meeting.
The flight range of Russia's Sarmat missile may exceed 35,000 kilometres (21,748 miles), Putin added.
The work on improving deterrence forces in Russia has not stopped since the 2000s, Putin said.
"Work on the improvement of deterrence forces has been resumed in Russia and has not stopped since the early 2000s. I must say frankly we were not up to it then. Russia was going through a very difficult period in its history," Putin said during the meeting.
--BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI
