A Russian missile touted as the “world’s deadliest weapon” failed to launch for the fourth time on Saturday, exploding as it was being refuelled at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome 500 miles north of Moscow.

Satellite images showed that the nuclear-capable Sarmat RS-28 missile, nicknamed “Satan-2”, left a crater on the launchpad, with damage visible to surrounding roads and buildings.

“The missile detonated in the silo, leaving a massive crater and destroying the test site,” said MeNMyRC, an open-source investigation project.

Four fire engines photographed at the test site had been “responding to a forest fire” that was probably linked to the failed launch, the project added.

“The Sarmat is a liquid-fuelled missile so this accident could have occurred separate from the actual launch activity,” it said.