Russia warns test of huge Satan-2 ballistic missile may come 'soon'

RUSSIA today warned that a second test of its huge new Satan-2 intercontinental ballistic missile may come before the end of December.

The announcement follows apparent delays in Vladimir Putin’s “unstoppable” 15,880mph hypersonic big beast, known in Moscow as Sarmat.

"The flight-design tests of the Sarmat [ICBM] may continue before the end of this year with a second test launch to be potentially carried out,” a defence ministry official told state news agency TASS.

The disclosure that it “may” conduct a second test follows earlier boasts that Satan-2 - as the West calls it and the size of a 14-storey tower block - would be fully deployed by the end of the year.

The new less-than-definitive statement will add to suspicions that the hypersonic Armageddon missile is experiencing embarrassing delays.

Its first test was announced to great fanfare as soon as it took place on 20 April, with Putin in touch by video-link.

The silo-based Satan-2 launch was from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia.