Report: A Russian ICBM test failed while Biden was in Ukraine

News

by Victor Nava

February 21, 2023 | 10:33 p.m

Russia tested an intercontinental ballistic missile on Monday while President Biden was in Ukraine and it appeared to fail, according to a report.

US officials he told CNN On Tuesday, Russia used a deconfliction line to notify the US in advance of the missile test, which was said to pose no danger to the country.

According to the officials, the US did not view the testing as an anomaly or an escalation.

The test was of a heavy, nuclear-capable Sarmat missile, which NATO named the Satan II, and which the head of the Russian Aerospace Research Agency classified as a “superweapon”.

US officials believe the test failed because Russian President Vladimir Putin did not mention it in his state of the nation address on Tuesday.

During his speech, Putin announced that Russia would suspend its participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with the United States.

US officials notified the Kremlin on Sunday, through the Dispute Resolution Line, that Biden, 80, will make a trip to the Ukrainian capital ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the ex-Soviet country, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. Monday said.

The announced test test of the missile, designed to carry up to 15 nuclear warheads, as well as hypersonic munitions, is Putin’s latest apparent attempt to launch missiles at the United States.

North American Aerospace Defense Command said last week that the US military had intercepted eight Russian fighter jets near Alaska in two separate incidents.

The first group of four Russian aircraft—which included the Tupolev TU-95 BEAR-H strategic bomber and SU-30 and SU-35 fighter jets—approached the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone on February 13 and was followed by the second quartet. A day later, according to NORAD.

In both incidents, NORAD sent American fighter and support aircraft to intercept the Russian warplanes.