Russia carried out an intercontinental ballistic missile test on Monday while Joe Biden was in Ukraine, according to a report – but warned the U.S. in advance.
Moscow was told several hours before Biden arrived in Kiev that he would be there, and warned not to attack the city during that time. The bold visit, designed to emphasize U.S. support for Ukraine as the first anniversary approaches, was not publicized in advance.
But on Tuesday, two sources told CNN that Russia has tested an ICBM known as Satan II while the president was meeting his Ukrainian counterpart.
Moscow warned Washington in advance, and the U.S. officials told CNN they did not consider the launch to be an escalation.
The test launch failed.
Joe Biden is pictured on Monday in Kiev. The Russians were warned in advance that he was going to be there. They tested an ICBM while he was there – but also warned Washington
An April 2022 photo from the Russian government showing the launch of ‘Satan II’, the SARMAT missile, from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Arkhangelsk region
The test of the heavy SARMAT missile, capable of delivering multiple nuclear warheads, would have been highlighted by President Vladimir Putin in his Tuesday State of the Union speech, officials believe – were it successful.
Putin has announced successful ICBM tests in the past, including in April – weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine.
That test was also for the SARMAT missile which was first unveiled in 2016.
The missile is said to have a range in excess of 6,835 miles, and be able to carry a warhead weighing 100 tons.
It was designed as a successor to the R-36M Voevoda ICBM.
Russia has the world’s biggest nuclear arsenal – inherited from the Soviet Union – and up until the COVID pandemic was subjected to constant inspections and control from the U.S., which comes in a close second.
During his Tuesday speech, Putin announced he was pulling out of the last remaining nuclear treaties, the New START Treaty.
Senior Biden administration officials have insisted Putin’s move won’t change the status quo because inspections haven’t been carried out since 2020.
Putin also said he would adhere to the cap of 1,550 nuclear weapons per side and insisted he wouldn’t be pulling out of the treaty.
But he did make clear that he wanted to get rid of arms control with his argument that the U.S. and West wants to inflict ‘strategic defeat’ and ‘climb on our nuclear facilities’.
The treaty expires in 2026, and could spark the start of an era similar to in the Cold War when nations could build up a stockpile capable of wiping out countries in seconds.
Vladimir Putin signaled an end to formal arms control between the world’s two biggest nuclear superpowers when he announced he would suspend Russia’s participation in the New Start treaty on Tuesday
William Alberque, director of strategy, technology and arms control at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told Reuters ‘both sides could immediately go from 1,550 deployed strategic warheads to 4,000 – that could happen overnight.’
Security analysts have also said that this could bring an end to mutual deterrence, and let other superpowers such as China, India and Pakistan to develop their own arsenals.
Putin also claimed U.S. and NATO inspectors would pass on information on the nuclear sites to Ukrainians to launch attacks.
‘This is a theater of the absurd,’ he said.
‘We know that the West is directly involved in the attempts of the Kyiv regime to strike at the bases.’
As the U.S. waits for Russia’s next move, the Biden administration has time to formulate a response.
Republican Congressman Mike Rogers, Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said it is ‘no surprise’ that Putin has suspended participation, and called for a response.
He said the U.S. should deploy additional nuclear forces and accelerate planning in the event Putin breaches the caps.
