Russia has successfully conducted a “final test” of a nuclear-powered cruise missile, Vladimir Putin has claimed, marking a significant development in the country’s strategic weapons capabilities.
The announcement by President Putin comes amid speculation and reports about the weapon, known as the Burevestnik, which has been touted as having a potentially unlimited range due to its nuclear reactor propulsion. The missile is also capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, adding to its strategic importance.
Despite the New York Times recently reporting that the testing of this weapon was imminent, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed these claims. However, President Putin asserted during a live broadcast from the Black Sea resort of Sochi that the Burevestnik had undergone a “final successful test.”
This declaration has yet to be independently verified, and there has been no official statement from the Russian defense ministry. Nonetheless, satellite images from last month suggested new construction activities at Novaya Zemlya, a remote Arctic island where Russia has previously conducted nuclear tests. These developments hint at preparations for further testing or deployment of advanced weaponry.
“We have now virtually finished work on modern types of strategic weaponry about which I have spoken and which I announced a few years ago,” Putin stated. He emphasized that the Burevestnik missile, code-named Skyfall by NATO, had completed its testing phase.
The Burevestnik missile is powered by a nuclear reactor that activates after initial launch by solid fuel rocket boosters. However, arms control experts, including the Nuclear Threat Initiative, have noted that previous tests between 2017 and 2019 were unsuccessful.
In addition to the Burevestnik, Putin also mentioned the near-completion of work on an intercontinental ballistic missile called Sarmat. Despite these advancements, he assured that Russia has no plans to alter its nuclear doctrine, which governs the conditions under which the country might deploy nuclear weapons. Putin also argued that Russia could reconsider its ratification of the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty, citing that the U.S. signed but never ratified it.
During the same meeting, Putin addressed the plane crash that killed Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in August. He stated that the crash was not caused by “outside interference,” such as a missile attack, and that “hand grenade fragments” were found in the bodies of those who perished. Putin did not clarify how a grenade could have detonated on board, but he suggested that investigators should have conducted alcohol and drug tests on the victims. No official report on the cause of the crash has been released yet.
The developments highlighted by Vladimir Putin underscore Russia’s ongoing efforts to bolster its military capabilities while navigating complex international relations and arms control agreements.