Russia tests nuclear-powered Burevestnik missile, claims it can evade any defence system

Russia has successfully tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile — a nuclear-capable weapon that Moscow claims can evade any defence system — and will now move toward deploying it, President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday.

Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, informed Putin that the missile travelled 14,000 km (8,700 miles) and stayed in the air for about 15 hours during the October 21 test.

The 9M730 Burevestnik (Storm Petrel), known to NATO as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall, is said to have an almost unlimited range and an unpredictable flight path. Putin called it “a unique weapon which nobody else in the world has.”

He noted that some experts once doubted the weapon’s feasibility, but its “crucial testing” has now been completed. Putin directed Gerasimov to classify the weapon and prepare infrastructure for its deployment.

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Gerasimov added that the missile was powered by a nuclear reactor, and this test was distinct due to its long flight duration. He claimed it could defeat any anti-missile defences.

Last week, Putin also oversaw a separate test of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces across land, sea, and air. “The modernity of our nuclear deterrent forces is at the highest level — higher than any other nuclear power,” he said.

According to the Federation of American Scientists, Russia holds 5,459 nuclear warheads, while the United States has 5,177 — together accounting for about 87 per cent of the world’s nuclear arsenal. “The strategic forces are capable of ensuring the national security of the Russian Federation and the Union State in full,” Putin added.

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