On Sunday morning, President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia has successfully conducted a test of its nuclear-powered intercontinental cruise missile, known as Burevestnik.
General Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff, informed Putin that the test was carried out on Tuesday, with the missile traveling 14,000 kilometers (approximately 8,700 miles) over about 15 hours.
“The Burevestnik’s technical capabilities ensure that it can strike highly fortified targets with guaranteed accuracy, regardless of their distance,” he stated.
Putin emphasized its uniqueness, declaring, “This is truly an extraordinary weapon, unmatched by any other nation globally,” during his visit to a command center for the Russian combined forces.
He has instructed to prepare the necessary infrastructure for the integration of this missile into the Russian military.
This confirmation of the Burevestnik tests follows recent satellite imagery and navigation alerts that suggested a launch might occur soon.
Putin had previously touted the “invincible” Burevestnik, which he introduced in 2018, highlighting its virtually limitless range and its ability to bypass U.S. missile defense systems.
The Burevestnik, categorized by NATO as SSC-X-9 Skyfall, drew attention in 2019 following a failed test that resulted in a tragic recovery operation in the Arctic.
The recent announcement of a successful test happens concurrently with Russian forces making gradual progress in Ukraine, steadily breaching Kyiv’s defenses at a high cost.
Efforts for peace negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv have stalled, despite attempts at mediation from U.S. President Donald Trump, who had vowed to swiftly conclude the conflict upon his anticipated return to the White House in January.
Trump imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil firms on Wednesday, expressing frustration that his discussions with Putin about resolving the Ukraine war “had not yielded results.”
In response, Putin stated on Sunday that he did not wish to establish any timeline for concluding hostilities.
“We are not going to link our actions to specific dates or events… our decisions will be guided by military logic,” he remarked.
