Putin Tests New ‘Invisible’ Nuclear-Powered Missile That Has Unlimited Range

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that Russia has effectively carried out a test launch of a novel cruise missile powered by nuclear energy, referred to as the 9M730 Burevestnik, which has been given the NATO designation “Skyfall.”

Putin characterised the missile as a “weapon of unlimited range powered by a nuclear engine” and asserted that it would shortly be prepared for operational use.

The statement, delivered while touring a command centre for Russian armed forces, represents what Putin termed a major advancement in the field of nuclear armament technology. “It is a truly unique system, one that no other country in the world possesses,” he proclaimed, portraying the Burevestnik as “invincible” in the face of current and prospective missile defence networks.

As stated by General Valery Gerasimov, the highest-ranking officer in Russia’s military, the missile covered a distance of 14,000 kilometres across a span of 15 hours in its latest trial. The Burevestnik, measuring approximately 12 metres in length, is said to be equipped to transport a thermonuclear warhead and is intended for missions spanning continents.

The missile, labelled the “Flying Chernobyl” by analysts in the West, has faced extensive condemnation owing to the possible dangers it presents to the environment and public safety stemming from its nuclear-based propulsion mechanism. Former official from the U.S. State Department Thomas Countryman previously described it as “a uniquely stupid weapon system,” contending that it constitutes “more threat to Russia than to any other country” on account of the radioactive path it generates in its wake.

The process of developing the Burevestnik has been plagued by engineering malfunctions and postponements. Based on information from the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a minimum of 13 documented testing efforts have taken place since 2016, among which merely two achieved limited success. Among the gravest incidents was one in 2019, where a test model detonated amid efforts to retrieve it, allegedly resulting in the deaths of multiple engineers and the discharge of radioactive material.

In spite of such difficulties, Putin maintained that the armament is currently in the concluding phase of its creation and will imminently be set for deployment at the front lines. He presented it as one of six “super weapons” that Russia revealed in 2018, including the Sarmat (Satan-2) intercontinental ballistic missile, Zircon and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, the Avangard glide vehicle, and the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone.

Bearing the name derived from the Russian term for “storm petrel,” the Burevestnik is purported to possess an “unlimited range and manoeuvrability.” Analysts from the U.S. military suspect it is driven by a compact nuclear reactor, in theory permitting it to circumnavigate the globe on several occasions prior to delivering its payload. Its flight trajectory at exceptionally low altitudes might enable it to avoid detection by the majority of radar installations and missile defence arrangements.

Intelligence organisations in the West have voiced doubt regarding the missile’s preparedness, pointing out that its endurance over extended periods and command reliability continue to be questionable. Nevertheless, photographs from satellites examined by researchers in the U.S. during the previous year pinpointed what seemed to be the concealed launch facility for the missile located in Vologda, in the northern part of Russia.

The declaration occurs during a period of intensified conflict in Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine. Officials from Ukraine reported that 26 individuals, among them six children, sustained injuries from airstrikes conducted overnight on Kyiv, whereas three individuals lost their lives and 29 suffered injuries in various other areas. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that within the last week by itself, Russia had initiated 1,200 drones, 1,360 bombs, and 50 missiles in persistent attacks throughout the nation.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli