On the afternoon of November 28, an intercontinental ballistic missile launched from the Yasny launch site in Russia’s Orenburg region exploded just seconds after takeoff. The rocket climbed only about 200–400 meters before veering off course, tumbling, then detonating mid-air and crashing back to the ground. Witnesses and footage show a thick purple cloud of smoke rising from the blast zone — a sign the missile used highly toxic liquid propellants.
Though no official confirmation named the rocket, analysts say the evidence strongly points to the RS-28 Sarmat, the super-heavy ICBM Russia has touted as central to its nuclear deterrent. If correct, this marks yet another failure in a missile program that has seen multiple mishaps since 2022.
The malfunction deepens doubts over the reliability of Russia’s most advanced nuclear-capable missile. Its repeated failures call into question whether the Sarmat can fulfill its intended role as a credible long-range deterrent.