Putin promises 'modern army', deployment of Sarmat nuclear missile

President Vladimir Putin has called Russia's military a guarantor of national stability, promising to boost arms production nearly a year after the start of the Ukraine war. 

In a video address during the annual "Defender of the Fatherland Day" holiday, Putin promised a "high-quality development of all components of the armed forces" in particular "new strike systems, reconnaissance and communication equipment, drones and artillery systems".

"A modern, efficient army and navy are a guarantee of the country's security and sovereignty, a guarantee of its stable development and its future," Putin said. "Now our industry is rapidly increasing the production of an entire range of conventional weapons." 

The last weeks have seen Russia mount infantry assaults across frozen ground in battles described by both sides as the bloodiest of the war.

Putin said Russia’s new Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads will be deployed over the course of 2023.

“We pay special attention, as before, to strengthening the nuclear triad. This year, the first launchers of the Sarmat missile system will be put on combat duty.” 

Sarmat – or ‘Satan 2’ as NATO and Western analysts put it – is among Russia's next-generation missiles Putin has labeled “invincible.” The president has said the missile will make Russia’s enemies “think twice.”

The liquid-fuel ICBM is capable of carrying massive payloads across the North or the South Pole to anywhere on planet earth. The missile is said to have a range exceeding 6,835 miles, meaning it can easily reach most places on the planet.

During a state of the nation address on Tuesday, Putin said Russia will be suspending its participation in the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms pact with Washington.  

Russia says West willing to ‘plunge world into abyss’ to defeat it

Russia’s UN ambassador has accused the West of being prepared to sacrifice Ukraine and the developing world in order to beat Russia and maintain global power.

The prime ministers of Poland and Denmark said after meeting in Copenhagen on Thursday that Western European countries should be faster and more generous in supplying Ukraine with weapons. 

"Let's be frank. If not for the United States, Poland and the United Kingdom, probably Ukraine would not have survived the first couple of weeks or the first couple of months," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters.

Morawiecki and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen stressed the urgency of delivering support to Kiev, saying Europe could not allow Ukraine to be defeated.

China's deputy UN Ambassador Dai Bing told the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday that one year into the Ukraine war "brutal facts offer an ample proof that sending weapons will not bring peace."

"Adding fuel to the fire will only exacerbate tensions," he said.

Western powers have provided Ukraine with billions of dollars in weapons since Russia invaded. However, discord is widening among allies on the dangerous turn which the conflict is taking. 

European Union countries on Thursday failed to agree on a new set of sanctions against Russia, missing a planned deadline to have them in place for the
one-year anniversary of the war.

The 27 EU countries need to agree unanimously to introduce sanctions. Reuters, citing unnamed diplomatic sources, said Poland was blocking the package over proposed exemptions to a ban on EU imports of Russian synthetic rubber. 

Polish diplomats said the exemptions were so big they would render the sanctions ineffective. Other sources said the exemptions were proposed to accommodate Italy, backed by Germany.

Representatives of the member states were reportedly due to meet again on Friday to try seal a deal.

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