Russia has successfully tested a new intercontinental nuclear ballistic missile as Vladimir Putin warned the Kremlin’s enemies to “think twice” about threatening his country, writes standard.co.uk.

The Russian defence ministry confirmed that its Sarmat missile had been launched on Wednesday from the Plesetsk launch facility in the north of the country.

Addressing the military at the launch, Putin said: “This truly unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure the security of Russia from external threats and make those who, in the heat of aggressive rhetoric, try to threaten our country, think twice”.

He claimed that the missile, dubbed “Satan II” by western analysts, has the “highest tactical and technical characteristics” and is “capable of overcoming all modern means of anti-missile defence”: “It has no analogues in the world and won’t have for a long time to come”.

The Russian army is expected to deploy ten or more nuclear warheads on each Sarmat missile, according to the US Congressional Research Service. Russia’s defence ministry said the Sarmat’s training warheads reached a test range on Kamchatka in the Pacific, a distance of nearly 6,000 km.