Russian missile test fails as "Satan" explodes in launch silo
As reported by the Defense Romania portal, citing publications in Russian media, the Russian Federation conducted a test launch of the RS-28 "Satan" intercontinental ballistic missile around September 21, 2024. However, the exercise did not go as planned for the Russians, as the missile exploded in the launch silo, causing significant damage.
The RS-28 "Satan" intercontinental missile is a weapon recently used to threaten by the Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Volodin, who pointed out that the missile "needs 3 minutes and 20 seconds" to reach Strasbourg, France. The Russian politician's response was a backlash to the discussion among Western allies about permitting Ukrainians to conduct long-range weapon strikes deep into the Russian Federation.
"Scare tactic" of the Russians
The missile, intended as a "scare tactic," is problematic – once again, its launch failed. The first malfunction, as reported by Defense Romania, was recorded in February 2023. Now, on the Plesetsk testing ground (in the Arkhangelsk region), another incident involving "Satan" occurred. According to reports, the missile was said to have exploded directly in the silo, thereby destroying the entire testing ground.
The effects of the missile explosion are visible in satellite images delivered by the Maxar company. As a result of the RS-28 explosion in the silo, a crater over 200 feet wide is visible from space. The images also show damage to a nearby building – it is unknown, however, if any personnel were responsible for flight control inside during the attempted launch.
RS-28 "Satan" missile
The RS-28 "Satan," whose test launch failed, is a three-stage liquid-fuel missile with a length of 116 feet and a mass of 229 tonnes. It can carry from 10 heavy to 15 lighter nuclear warheads over a distance of 11,185 miles. The missile reaches a speed of 15,534 mph, which means it can cover up to 4 miles in a second. After launch, it can stay airborne for several hours and perform maneuvers, which significantly complicates its interception by anti-missile defence systems.
The RS-28 is characterized by its immense power. It is capable of levelling areas the size of France or the state of Texas in the USA. Russia remains the only country that possesses this weapon.
