Kommersant reported on 23 October that the Russian Ministry of Defense plans to hold two ballistic tests of the liquid-state intercontinental ballistic missile RS-28 Sarmat at the Plesetsk space center before the end of the year. The timing of these tests was repeatedly postponed due to the unavailability of both the silo launcher and the ICBM itself. Now, according to Kommersant sources, the problems have been resolved. “The main purpose is to check the performance of the missile systems at the time of the exit from the silo and the inclusion of the first stage of Sarmat with a subsequent operation for about five seconds,” the source said.