Group Capt MJ Augustine Vinod (r)
The RS-28 Sarmat, better known as “Satan II,” is Russia’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), a beast designed to replace the aging R-36M, or “Satan,” from the Soviet era. Standing 35 meters tall and weighing 208 tons, it’s a three-stage, liquid-fuelled missile with a range of 10,000 to 18,000 Km. That’s enough to hit anywhere in the U.S. or Europe from Russian soil. It screams through the sky at 16,000 miles per hour—about Mach 20—making it a nightmare for any defence system trying to catch it.
What makes it special? It can carry up to 15 nuclear warheads, each one able to split off and hit a different target thanks to its Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) tech. Some reports say it might pack hypersonic glide vehicles, like the Avangard, which zip through the atmosphere at unpredictable angles, dodging interceptors. It’s also got 40 decoys—fake warheads and countermeasures—to trick radar and missile shields. Russia claims one Satan II could level an area the size of Texas or France. That’s not just a weapon; it’s a reset button for entire regions.
Inside the Satan II’s Tech
Let’s break down the tech that makes this missile so daunting. First, it’s liquid-fuelled, unlike the solid-fuel ICBMs preferred by the U.S., like the Minuteman III. Liquid fuel gives it more power and payload capacity—hence the 208-ton launch weight—but it takes longer to prep. The three-stage design means it sheds weight as it climbs, with each stage firing off to push it higher and faster. By the time it’s in space, it’s ready to unleash its warheads.
The MIRV system is the real star. Picture a bus dropping off passengers—except the bus is a missile, and the passengers are nuclear bombs. Each warhead gets its guidance system, using inertial navigation, GLONASS (Russia’s GNSS), and Astro-inertial tech to stay on target. They re-enter the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, and with yields potentially hitting 10 megatons apiece, one blast could dwarf the 15-kiloton Hiroshima bomb by hundreds of times.
Then there’s the hypersonic angle. The Avangard glider, if equipped, rides a ballistic arc before breaking into the atmosphere, skipping and weaving at speeds up to Mach 27. It’s coated to handle the heat and uses plasma stealth to mess with radar. Defences can’t lock on when it’s moving that fast and changing direction. Add in those 40 penetration aids—decoys, chaff, jammers—and it’s like trying to hit a swarm of bees with a flyswatter.
The Satan II’s silo-based design adds another layer. Buried in hardened launch sites, like those at Dombarovsky or Uzhur, it’s tough to knock out before it fires. Russia says it’s got a short boost phase, too, meaning it’s out of the atmosphere before satellites or radar can get a good fix. Combine all this, and you’ve got a missile built to punch through any shield and deliver a knockout blow.
The EU’s Ukraine Push: Risking Everything
Now, shift gears to the EU. They’re pouring weapons, funds, and tough talk into Ukraine, framing it as a noble stand against Russia. But it’s starting to look like a reckless gamble. Every shipment of long-range gear or hint at deeper NATO involvement tweaks Russia’s nose a little harder. Putin’s response? He’s got the Satan II on deck, and he’s not shy about saying it’s ready if the West crosses his line.
The EU’s leaders keep the drumbeat going—sanctions, military aid, calls for escalation—all while ignoring the giant shadow Russia casts. Putin warned that any serious threat could trigger a response that “no one wants.” The Satan II isn’t a bluff; it’s been tested, with a successful launch in April 2022, and it’s reportedly on combat duty as of 2023. The EU’s acting like they can outmanoeuvre a nuclear superpower, but the math doesn’t add up. One slip and the stakes go from tense words to total ruin.
One Missile Could Erase Britain
Take the British Isles—243,000 square Km of rolling hills, bustling cities, and history. One Satan II could wipe it out. Imagine it launching from a silo in Siberia. It arcs over the pole, splitting into 15 warheads mid-flight. London’s the first to go—a 10-megaton blast turns the city into a fireball, vapourizing landmarks like Big Ben and the Shard in seconds. Shockwaves flatten suburbs miles out. Minutes later, Manchester’s hit, then Birmingham, Edinburgh, Cardiff—each warhead picking a target. The fallout blankets what’s left and the UK’s population of 67 million is cut to a fraction, if that. Less than one missile and Britain’s a memory, its green fields scorched black.
Scenario Two: Paris and France’s Heartland
Now picture France—552,000 square Kms, a bit more than twice the UK’s size. A Satan II lifts off from Uzhur, streaking across 5,000 Km in under 30 minutes. Paris is ground zero for the first warhead. A 10-megaton detonation ignites the air, erasing the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Louvre in a flash. The Seine boils away as the blast wave levels the city, leaving a crater miles wide. Other warheads fan out—Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse—each strike a hammer blow. France’s 67 million people face millions dead in moments, with survivors choking on radioactive dust. The EU’s second-biggest economy vanishes, its culture reduced to ash. One missile and France is a ghost story.
Scenario Three: Berlin and Germany’s Core
Germany next—357,000 square km, a powerhouse of 84 million. The Satan II launches from Dombarovsky, crossing 3,000 Km in about 20 minutes. Berlin’s the bullseye. A warhead bursts overhead, and a 10-megaton explosion turns the Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, and Alexanderplatz into molten rubble. The city’s 3.7 million are gone in an instant, the blast rippling out to swallow suburbs. More warheads hit Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne—industrial hubs and population centres were erased. Germany’s infrastructure collapsed, and its factories and ports were silent. One missile leaves Europe’s economic engine a smoking wreck, its people scattered or buried.
Peace Is the Only Way
These scenarios aren’t fiction—they’re what the Satan II’s built for. Russia’s not invincible, but they don’t need to be. One missile can rewrite the map, and they’ve got more in the pipeline—plans for 46 by some counts. The EU’s Ukraine obsession is like tossing matches near a gas tank. Every step up the ladder—more weapons, more threats—raises the odds of a miscalculation. Putin’s said it plainly: push too far, and the response won’t be conventional.
War with Russia isn’t a winnable fight. The Satan II’s tech—its speed, its warheads, its ability to slip past defences—means there’s no dodging the blow if it comes. The EU’s acting like they can stare down a bear, but this bear’s got claws that can rip the world apart. Peace isn’t giving up; it’s the only play that keeps us breathing. Back off, talk, de-escalate—let the tension bleed out. It’s not about pride or winning a point; it’s about making sure London, Paris, and Berlin don’t become footnotes in a nuclear history book.
The Satan II’s real, and its shadow’s long. Russia’s had setbacks—failed tests in 2024 show it’s not perfect—but they’re not stopping. The EU needs to wake up, ditch the hero act, and see the stakes. One missile could end millions of lives in minutes. Peace isn’t just the smart move—it’s the only one left.
Group Captain MJ Augustine Vinod (r) is a Flying Instructor & a graduate of the College of Air Warfare, where he did his Higher Air Command Course. He has been commended by the Air Officer Commanding in Chief twice and was conferred with the Vishisht Seva Medal by the President of India in 2015. He is a trained Paratrooper, Sky Diver, Scuba Dive Master and Deep-sea Rescue Diver. He is a renowned columnist and regularly gives his excerpts to various dailies and magazines.
