Russia has tested a new nuclear-capable and nuclear-powered cruise missile, the Burevestnik, and is preparing for its final trials, which could bring the weapon closer to operational deployment, President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday.
A video released by the Kremlin following the test showed Putin dressed in camouflage fatigues meeting with Russia’s chief of general staff, Gen Valery Gerasimov.
During the briefing, Gerasimov informed Putin that the Burevestnik missile had flown 14,000 kilometres (8,700 miles) during testing earlier in the week. He added that the missile had remained airborne for 15 hours, noting, “that’s not the limit.”
Putin instructed Gerasimov to proceed with final testing and to “determine the possible uses” of the missile, as well as to begin “preparing the infrastructure” required for its deployment within Russia’s armed forces.
The Burevestnik, officially designated 9M730, is a ground-launched, low-flying cruise missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and powered by a miniature nuclear reactor. Its name translates to “storm petrel,” while NATO refers to it as SSC-X-9 Skyfall.
The missile’s nuclear propulsion system allows it to fly significantly longer and farther than conventional turbojet or turbofan-powered missiles, which are constrained by their fuel capacity. This design enables the Burevestnik to “loiter” in the air for extended periods before striking a target.
The US-based Nuclear Threat Initiative has stated that the missile could potentially remain airborne for days. In a 2019 report, the organisation said that the missile, once operational, “would carry a nuclear warhead (or warheads), circle the globe at low altitude, avoid missile defences, and drop the warhead(s) at unpredictable locations.”
Citing a 2021 report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Burevestnik could have a theoretical range of up to 20,000 kilometres, allowing it to strike targets in the United States from anywhere in Russia.
The missile reportedly flies at altitudes between 50 and 100 metres, making it difficult for air-defence radar systems to detect.
Putin first unveiled the Burevestnik project in 2018, claiming the weapon had “unlimited range” and could evade US missile defence systems. On Sunday, he reiterated that the missile was “unique.”
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However, Western analysts have questioned its strategic value. Some argue the missile adds little new capability to Russia’s arsenal and poses significant environmental risks due to the potential release of radioactive material during flight.
Experts have also noted that its subsonic speed makes it easier to detect, increasing its vulnerability during prolonged missions.
Putin previously announced a successful test of the missile in October 2023. Earlier in 2024, two US researchers claimed to have identified a likely deployment site for the Burevestnik near a nuclear warhead storage facility known as Vologda-20 or Chebsara, approximately 275 miles north of Moscow.
Experts suggest that the missile uses a small solid-fuel rocket booster for launch, after which air is channelled through a reactor-powered engine that superheats it potentially making it radioactive before expelling it for forward thrust.
Despite Russia’s efforts, the Burevestnik’s development has been plagued by repeated failures. US intelligence sources previously reported that five Russian nuclear specialists were killed in an explosion during an experiment in the White Sea that released radiation.
Putin later awarded the deceased scientists posthumous state honours, praising their work on a weapon he described as “without equal in the world.”
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