Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a warning regarding the potential of a new missile currently being developed in Russia.
He stated that the missile possesses nuclear propulsion and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Putin emphasized that this missile could challenge existing defense systems and might be used by the military.
In a video released by the Kremlin, Putin appeared in military attire as he interacted with Russian military officials. General Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s chief of general staff, was among those present and provided Putin with updates on the missile’s progress.
The missile in question is the Burevestnik, a cruise missile under development by the Russian military.
The Burevestnik is designed to carry a nuclear payload and offers an advantage over larger Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) due to its low altitude flight path, making it harder to detect via radar.
A cruise missile is a self-propelled, guided weapon designed to deliver significant payloads over long distances with high accuracy. However, cruise missiles typically have a shorter range compared to ICBMs due to fuel limitations.
The Burevestnik is designed to overcome this limitation with its nuclear power, potentially providing it with an almost unlimited range.
Putin, aged 73, described the missile as ‘invincible’ and stated that it is a ‘unique ware which nobody else in the world has.’
General Gerasimov informed Putin that the missile, referred to as ‘Skyfall’ by NATO, had successfully undergone testing, covering a distance of approximately 8,700 miles (14,000 kilometers) during a recent test.
During this test, the Burevestnik, named Storm Petrel in Russian, remained airborne for about 15 hours, with Gerasimov mentioning: “That’s not the limit.”
As reported by The Independent, Putin told Gerasimov: “We need to determine the possible uses and begin preparing the infrastructure for deploying these weapons to our armed forces.”
On Wednesday, Putin oversaw exercises involving Russia’s strategic nuclear forces, which included simulated missile launches. This coincided with the postponement of a planned summit involving Putin, Donald Trump, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Strategic nuclear forces pertain to more significant arsenal weapons intended for targeting infrastructure and cities in the event of a conflict.
This is in contrast to tactical nuclear weapons, which are smaller and meant for battlefield use.
The Kremlin stated that these drills encompassed all components of Russia’s ‘nuclear triad,’ with ICBMs being launched from sites in Northwestern Russia and a submarine in the Barents Sea.
Further, Tu-95 strategic bombers participated by launching long-range cruise missiles during the exercise.