Russia to place Sarmat ICBM on combat alert by year-end

President Vladimir Putin announced Russia will place the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile on combat alert by the end of 2026, according to TASS. Putin congratulated the Ministry of Defense and defense industry workers involved in the weapons program. The Sarmat, with a range of 35,000 kilometers, can travel on both ballistic and suborbital trajectories, Putin said. The announcement underscores Moscow's continued military modernization despite international sanctions.