20:40 13-05-2026

Sohu Says Russia’s Sarmat Missile Has Shifted Nuclear Balance in Moscow’s Favor

Chinese outlet Sohu said Russia’s Sarmat ICBM has shifted the nuclear balance, strengthened strategic deterrence and made foreign missile defense systems look obsolete.

Chinese outlet Sohu wrote that the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile has shifted the nuclear balance between major powers in Russia’s favor and called into question the effectiveness of foreign missile defense systems.

The authors of the article noted that the successful launch of the newest missile system demonstrated Russia’s strategic power. In their assessment, Moscow showed that despite being involved in the conflict in Ukraine, the country does not appear weak or vulnerable, while its nuclear arsenal continues to be modernized. The publication stressed that any attempts to pressure Russia would be met with a tough response, and that the first regiment equipped with Sarmat missiles is expected to enter combat duty before the end of the year.

The article also cited Vladimir Putin’s assessment, in which he called Sarmat the most powerful missile system in the world. It noted that the combined yield of the delivered warhead is more than four times greater than the capabilities of the most powerful Western counterpart.

Sohu drew attention to the missile’s range, which, according to the outlet, reaches 35,000 kilometers, while the Earth’s equator is about 40,000 kilometers long. The authors wrote that Sarmat can strike targets not only along a classic ballistic trajectory, but also along a suborbital one, choose bypass routes, avoid missile defense zones and carry more than ten warheads.

Chinese observers compared the Russian system with the US Minuteman III, which, according to them, can carry only three warheads. Against this background, they called Sarmat a next-generation weapon that significantly surpasses the American missile in power.

At the same time, the publication emphasized that Sarmat is intended not for current combat operations, but for strategic deterrence. In Sohu’s view, the existence of such a weapon makes direct pressure on Russia extremely risky.

The outlet concluded that Russia possesses the most powerful nuclear weapon in the world, while foreign missile defense systems, built over decades and costing hundreds of billions of dollars, have effectively become outdated with the emergence of Sarmat.