New Delhi: Russia has successfully tested its nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile. This is a nuclear weapon that President Vladimir Putin says can evade any defense system. Putin said the country will now move forward towards deploying the missile.
The test, conducted on October 21st, coincided with a nuclear drill and was seen as a signal that Moscow would never bow to Western pressure over the war in Ukraine. During the test, the missile covered a distance of approximately 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) and remained in the air for approximately 15 hours.
‘No one in the world has such a weapon’
“This is a unique weapon that no one else in the world has,” Putin, wearing camouflage fatigues, said during a meeting with generals overseeing the war in Ukraine, according to a Kremlin statement on Sunday. Since first demonstrating the 9M730 Burevestnik in 2018, Putin has described it as Moscow’s answer to the US missile defense program.
What is the Burevestnik cruise missile?
The 9M730 Burevestnik, or Storm Petrel, is a nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable cruise missile that Russia first demonstrated in 2018. It is said to have unlimited range and unpredictable flight, making it difficult to intercept.
NATO has designated it the SSC-X-9 Skyfall. Russia says the missile was designed to bypass US and NATO missile defense systems and serve as a key barrier to its strategic weapons arsenal.