NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Russian state TV hosts laughed as they speculated about what would happen if Moscow fired its new nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile at New York City, video shows.
The hosts chuckled on state-owned Russia-1 as they joked about hitting the city of 8.8 million with a “Satan II” Sarmat missile that was just test-launched on Wednesday.
“Americans don’t have these kinds of rockets, and never had them,” one presenter says, according to the Daily Mail.
Talking about the missile, he continues: “If 7.5 megatons will be delivered to the territory of our so-called partner—the word ‘partner’ is very important—then objects like the city of New York, a good city but it would be gone.”
“Completely gone, with one rocket,” he giggles. “Completely, I mean completely.”
Speaking to senior officials Wednesday, Putin hailed the Sarmat launch, claiming that the new missile has no foreign analogues and is capable of penetrating any prospective missile defense.
“This really unique weapon will strengthen the combat potential of our armed forces, reliably ensure Russia’s security from external threats and make those, who in the heat of frantic aggressive rhetoric try to threaten our country, think twice,” Putin said.
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was getting underway in late February, Putin referenced his country’s nuclear forces. Days later, he ordered them to be put on "high alert."
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that Russia had given the U.S. an advance notice about the launch in line with the New START nuclear arms control treaty between Moscow and Washington.
“Russia properly notified the United States under its New START obligations that it planned to test this ICBM," he said. "Such testing is routine. It was not a surprise. We did not deem the test to be a threat to the United States or its allies.”
The Sarmat is a heavy missile that has been under development for several years to replace the Soviet-made Voyevoda, which was code-named Satan by the West and forms the core of Russia’s nuclear deterrent.
“The Sarmat is the most powerful missile that has the highest range in the world, and it will significantly bolster the capability of the country's strategic nuclear forces,” Russia's Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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