Sarmat, Oreshnik missiles can take out Europe’s entire military infrastructure — expert

MOSCOW, May 13. /TASS/. A combined launch of the Sarmat and Oreshnik missile systems is capable of neutralizing the entire NATO military infrastructure in Europe, Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the Institute of Law and National Security of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, told TASS. "The maximum range of the Sarmat system can exceed 35,000 km on a suborbital trajectory. This means there are no untouchable areas on our planet where the Sarmat’s potential impact would not extend. As for the Oreshnik system, it is, I would say, a second-tier deterrent, capable of covering the entire continental European space and even island nations in a matter of minutes. These strike capabilities, when launched in concert, are sufficient to de facto neutralize the entire NATO military infrastructure in the European theater of operations," he said. Stepanov highlighted that these missile systems can only be used under certain critical conditions, such as a direct threat to the sovereignty of the Russian Federation. "This, for example, is caused by actions related to the militarization of our border areas, primarily initiated by European supporters of an escalation of the conflict with Russia," he explained. Earlier, Commander of the Strategic Missile Forces Sergey Karakayev reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the successful launch of the Sarmat. The Russian Armed Forces plan to deploy the first regiment equipped with this ICBM by the end of the year. Putin noted that the Sarmat is the most powerful missile system in the world - four times more powerful than the most capable Western counterparts. Its range exceeds 35,000 km. The missile can follow not only a ballistic but also a suborbital trajectory, penetrating all existing and prospective missile defense systems. Furthermore, the Russian president recalled that "the Oreshnik ground-based intermediate-range missile system, which can also be armed with nuclear warheads, has been on combat duty since 2025.".