Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia has successfully test-launched a new nuclear-powered cruise missile known as the 9M730 Burevestnik, which NATO has codenamed “Skyfall.”
Putin described the missile as a “weapon of unlimited range powered by a nuclear engine” and claimed it would soon be ready for deployment.
The announcement, made during a visit to a Russian military command post, marks what Putin called a breakthrough in nuclear weapons technology. “It is a truly unique system, one that no other country in the world possesses,” he declared, describing the Burevestnik as “invincible” against existing and future missile defence systems.
According to General Valery Gerasimov, Russia’s top army commander, the missile travelled 14,000 kilometres over 15 hours during its most recent test. The Burevestnik, roughly 12 metres long, is reportedly capable of carrying a thermonuclear warhead and is designed for intercontinental missions.
The missile, dubbed the “Flying Chernobyl” by Western analysts, has been widely criticised for its potential environmental and safety risks due to its nuclear propulsion system. Former U.S. State Department official Thomas Countryman once called it “a uniquely stupid weapon system,” arguing it poses “more threat to Russia than to any other country” because of the radioactive trail it leaves behind.
The Burevestnik’s development has been marred by technical failures and delays. According to the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), there have been at least 13 known test attempts since 2016, with only two partial successes. One of the most serious setbacks occurred in 2019, when a prototype exploded during a recovery operation, reportedly killing several engineers and releasing radiation.
Despite these issues, Putin claimed the weapon is now in its final development stage and will soon be ready for front-line deployment. He described it as one of six “super weapons” unveiled by Russia in 2018, alongside the Sarmat (Satan-2) intercontinental ballistic missile, Zircon and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, the Avangard glide vehicle, and the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone.
Named after the Russian word for “storm petrel,” the Burevestnik is said to have an “unlimited range and manoeuvrability.” U.S. military analysts believe it is powered by a miniaturised nuclear reactor, theoretically enabling it to fly around the world multiple times before striking its target. Its extremely low-altitude flight path could allow it to evade most radar and missile defence systems.
Western intelligence agencies have expressed scepticism about the missile’s readiness, noting that its long-term stability and control remain uncertain. Nonetheless, satellite imagery analysed by U.S. researchers last year identified what appeared to be the missile’s secret launch site in Vologda, northern Russia.
The announcement comes amid renewed escalation in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said that 26 people, including six children, were injured in overnight airstrikes on Kyiv, while three people were killed and 29 injured in other regions. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that in the past week alone, Russia had launched 1,200 drones, 1,360 bombs, and 50 missiles in continued bombardments across the country.
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