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Sarmat Test Craters Plesetsk Pad After Director Arrest

5/13/2026

30 3 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

A 70-meter crater appeared at Plesetsk Cosmodrome launch pad after Russia launched a test of the RS-28 Sarmat missile, which President Vladimir Putin called powerful missile.
The test followed the detention of director Alexander Gavrilov for embezzlement charges.
The Sarmat can carry 16 warheads and has suffered tests, including a 2024 silo explosion.
The launch came after the New START treaty expired, leaving the two powers without an arms limit.

History

Historical Context

After the 1963 Limited Test Ban and the 1972 SALT I freeze, the U.S. and Soviet Union signed START I in 1991, capping each side at 6,000 warheads. The 2010 New START treaty further reduced launchers until its lapse, prompting President Vladimir Putin to oversee Russia’s RS-28 Sarmat test, reviving Cold-War-era NATO deterrence concerns.

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Story summary

A 70-meter crater appeared at Plesetsk Cosmodrome launch pad after Russia launched a test of the RS-28 Sarmat missile, which President Vladimir Putin called powerful missile.
The test followed the detention of director Alexander Gavrilov for embezzlement charges.
The Sarmat can carry 16 warheads and has suffered tests, including a 2024 silo explosion.
The launch came after the New START treaty expired, leaving the two powers without an arms limit.

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